The Marauders and the Knights of Walpurgis- First Year at Hogwarts
by resurrectedlove95
Summary: Remus, James, Sirius and Peter in their own journey through their first year of Hogwarts. From the first train ride to the end of the first year-watch them fight, learn, laugh and go on the wildest adventure which forges friendships and bitter enmities.What happens when quiet and bright Remus enters a tug-of-war between the bubbly Lily and the Pranksters-Sirius, James and Peter?
1. Chapter 1-The train ride

"I don't want to hear that you're upto no good, James." A tall woman glared at her son who stood beside her.

"I'll make sure that you wouldn't hear of it, mother" James beamed.

His father sported a slight smile until it disappeared as soon as his mother's gaze fell onto him.  
He added gruffly.

"Yes, James behave yourself"

James' clever retort was lost in the hoot of the Hogwarts express as it signaled all students aboard.

"You must get going", his mother said as she bent down for a quick hug and handed him a box containing enough Knutts and other homemade goodies.

He pulled himself out of the hug and ran upto the door of a nearby cabin, heaving his trunk onto the train with the help of a boy much of the same age and having black hair just as long as his though much less unruly.  
He turned around and waved to his parents until the train jerked and started gaining speed. He turned around to see the boy properly and offered his hand.

"James Potter, you?"

"Sirius.." He said but added with a reluctant sigh," Sirius Black"

James took back his offered hand and greeted the boy coldly with a curt nod.

"Hey, it's nothing I'm proud of either!", Sirius scowled as they both made their way along packed cabins carrying their trunks, until midway down they found a cabin occupied by two others.

The occupants were too busy in their conversation to notice the two newcomers budging into the cabin. A hunched boy wearing black robes, his face curtained by greasy hair was practically whispering replies to a cheerful and rather loud red haired girl. He was the first to notice the two boys and immediately fell silent. His silence made the girl turn around and finally notice the boys sitting across from them.

"And who, may I ask, are you?" She demanded pompously.

"No, you may not." James replied as a grin broke Sirius' face. This boy was amusing.

The girl huffed in response and crossed her arms. After a few minutes of glaring at the boys, she decided to ignore them completely resuming the conversation that she was partaking with the silent boy.  
The boy spoke in a cold voice.

"There's a hat-a Sorting Hat which reads your mind and sorts you into one of the houses-Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin". The girl was intently filling her mind with all the information while the boy seemed to linger on the last word.

James snorted,"And I suppose you want to go to Slytherin? Your appearance is befitting of a Death Eater. The girl looked curiously but sensing that the comment had tensed her friend she placed her hand on the boy's hand and added.

"Don't pay attention to them, Severus"

Sirius tried to outdo James.

"Yeah, don't pay attention to us Snivellus" he said as a grin slowly grew on his handsome face.

The two boys chuckled at the name Sirius had coined. They were too lost in their mirth to notice the way the boy and girl retreated their hands as though electrified. The girl broke the awkward silence between them and spoke over the chuckles of James and Sirius.

"I bet Slytherin is the best of the houses."

This silenced both James and Sirius.  
As though oblivious of their presence Severus replied.

"Slytherin is known for the cunning wit that the house boasts about-"

"Other than breeding Death Eaters"  
James stood up taunting the boy.

Severus stood up continuing  
"- quite unlike Gryffindor or Hufflepuff both of which are for arrogant -" he glared at the two boys "-fools." He finished with a sly smile playing on his thin lips.

Both boys looked ready to brawl. Sirius sat back relaxed placing his right leg on his other knee enjoying the scene. Seeing Severus itch to grab his wand from inside his cloak the girl stood up and caught Severus' arm.

"Let's leave Severus" she said sweetly almost pleading. His cold stare suddenly melted and he nodded loosely muttering "Locomoter Trunks" and their trunks lightly floated behind them as the glass door banged shut.

"Show-off!" James shouted as the duo left. "I'm sure he just did that to impress the redhead" he shook his head dramatically.

"I'm surprised she's even lurking with that Slytherin wannabe" he exclaimed.

"Yeah she didn't even whisper a word when you mentioned Death Eaters..." Sirius observed.

James looked thoughtful and jumped to the conclusion that Severus must be threatening the poor girl. Sirius was more than thankful when James finally let the topic be changed.

"But you are a Black, I've heard about your family, a pack of Slytherins.." James reminisced

"About the same reason I don't like to introduce myself as one. I hate Slytherin and will never be one of those Death Eaters!" Sirius exclaimed full of zest.

"Spoken as a true rebel, you'll be in Gryffindor, no doubt about it." James said with a grin masked onto his two new friends high-fived at the thought.

Sirius went on to describe the way all Black offsprings were tutored politics, Dark magic, all the basics in order to excel at Hogwarts. His father expected nothing less than E in his tests or assignments. James told him how carefree his parents were and told him one by one all the tricks and pranks that he had pulled off on the neighbours' son who was a fat muggle with not much brains. Sirius felt like he had befriended the perfect person to get going with his plans to widen his base in the wizarding world (except for the morose pureblood families he had already been introduced to) as well as to irritate his parents.

It was in the middle of James' tenth prank story that a middle aged witch knocked on the glass door. She was carrying refreshments and candies.  
Bettie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Licorice Wands, Pumpkin Pasties among loads of other candies. A plump, short boy was following the lady and wanted to eat more than he could afford. He looked shabbily dressed too. James bought a little bit of everything using up most of the Knuts from the box his mother had handed him.

"Come share it with us"James smiled at the boy who stared at him with wide eyes.

"M-Me?"He asked bewildered.

"Yeah.." He said and then changed his mind suddenly," On second thoughts, you don't happen to be a Slytherin , do you?" He asked intimidating the short boy.

"N-NO! No! I hate Slytherin! Hate it!"  
The boy bellowed convincingly.

"Splendid!"James cracked a charming smile before Sirius opened the door to the cabin and James settled their treasure on the seat. The kind lady walked further along the corridor offering snacks and candies to other Hogwarts students.

"Sirius, this is.." James started.

"Peter..Peter Pett-tt-igrew" the boy squeaked as he gulped down a Chocolate Frog and shaked hands with Sirius. "Sirius Black"  
"James Potter" James flipped his black hair only to make it more,askew as he offered Peter his hand.

The three boys took only a few minutes to finish all the candies. James had used his wand to clear off the litter when an idea struck Sirius like a lightning bolt.

"We've about an hour for the journey-"

"How do you know that?" Peter asked astounded.

Sirius simply pointed at the sunset out of the window.

"We reach by night. But we can use this hour to the fullest. " He finished with a glint in his eye and a wicked smile. Seeing Peter's confused face he elaborated further.

"We will not be caught if we use our wands here." He added meaningfully and something dawned on James' face. James had to agree, he had found the best partner in crime. However, Peter still looked confused.

"We are going to prank some passengers using our wands" he added exasperatedly to spell out the plan to Peter.

"But that could be dangerous" Peter squeaked.

"No, it could be fun!" James exclaimed on the same page as Sirius. In a few minutes, James and Sirius had chalked out a plan. Peter was to guard the corridors while Sirius and James let loose a few dungbombs so that they could use Aguamenti to wet some students while the prefects were busy with the dungbombs. As a bonus, James had decided to use his Invisibility cloak which was long enough to cover both the eleven-year olds completely.  
James lifted his cloak enough to allow his hand to be seen to Peter.

"You figure if he chickens out our whole plan is there to see by the prefects?" Sirius had asked him uncertainly.

"He won't chicken out. Not if he wants to get pranked next." James said with a wicked grin that reciprocated on Sirius' face complimenting his cheekbones. James signaled a 'Go' to Peter and threw a few dungbombs to his right and Sirius did the same to his side.

Almost immediately, Peter squeaked loudly,"Ugh! What's that smell?"

"Dungbombs?!" His voice was mirrored by another first year. James and Sirius ran along the corridor pushing and heaving through the gathering crowd in the corridor, taking care not to jump into all the Prefects who had rushed from their respective Cabins, they made a beeline towards some of the Slytherin Cabins.

"Aguamenti!" James and Sirius cried out in unison as spurts of water issued onto a bunch of Slytherins huddled in a Cabin.

"Avery,Mulciber?! Who did this to you?!" An infuriated Slytherin Prefect with long blonde hair ran to the rescue of two first years.

The two wet and drabbled first years shook their head miserably," Don't know..came out of nowhere" one of them managed to speak.  
Sirius and James, who were a few cabins away, immediately stopped watering the Slytherins and pushed in their wands walking past the fuming Prefect. Upon nearing the crowd, they easily removed the Invisibility Cloak and merged in the crowd of students that surrounded the Prefects. A Gryffindor Prefect questioned Peter.

"You were the first one to smell the dungbombs, weren't you? Did you happen to see who did it?" He asked strictly as though in a court hearing.

Peter whimpered and looked around at the students and James quickly caught his eye. He glared at him and shook his head slightly.

"N-No" Peter stuttered. James grinned victoriously.

" Maybe it was a diversion.." A boy mused aloud, he had brown hair and browner eyes. He wore patched and frayed clothes. He was startled when all eyes turned to him and his eyes turned glassy and he tried to hide himself behind some tall second years.  
James knitted his eyebrows curiously at the boy but was nudged in the ribs by Sirius who was looking behind them.

"Move, Get Aside!" An infuriated voice made its way to the centre. James recognized him as the Slytherin Prefect who had almost caught them.

"Weasley." He nodded curtly.

"Malfoy." The Gryffindor Prefect returned a cold stare and curt nod.

"The dungbombs were a diversion. Mulciber. Tell him what happened. "

The blonde Prefect pushed one of the two first years whom the pranksters had attacked.

"T-Two voices...Aguamenti..water..out of nowhere..."the drabbled boy stuttered.

"Alright. Everyone please return to your cabins. We'll be reaching in about fifteen minutes. Mulciber come to the Prefect's cabin.", The red-headed Gryffindor Prefect sent orders to everyone. The crowd started dispersing with many students whispering excitedly others offering theories to support the identity of the culprit. Sirius started walking towards their cabin but was pulled by James in the opposite direction.

"What?! Whatz wrong-Ah!" Sirius protested

"I've got to do something before we change into our robes." James said with a mad glint in his eye before turning around and running through the crowd.

Sirius sighed and followed him down the corridor.


	2. Chapter 2-Enter Remus Lupin

Remus had been one of the first students to secure a seat in one of the empty cabins. His muggle mother had whispered instructions into his ear as she had hugged him. Finding nothing else to do on the platform, he had decided to bid them farewell early. For one thing, he didn't like-rather- he was uncomfortable with or around people and also emotions were incomprehensible for him.  
Being an introvert, books had always been his best friend and unlike the famous saying-'a dog is a man's best friend', for him a certain dog had plagued his life.

So there he was, enjoying his solitude reading "Hogwarts-A History" when it was broken by a couple. Well, atleast they seemed to look like it- a red-haired girl had her arm wrapped onto the arm of a hunched, cloaked boy who looked-if Remus was right-agitated about something. Nevertheless, the couple barged into his cabin and sat across from him. Their trunks floated in and the girl shut the door with a bang. That seemed to wake the greasy haired boy from his reverie. Presently, they noticed that they had their arms in contact and shot a leg distance apart from each other blushing furiously. If they hadn't been intruding his compartment, Remus would have gone back to reading, but he needed an explanation. The girl felt his stare and finally erupted with explanations.

"I'm sorry. We had to empty our compartment because.. of unwanted company." She made a face and the boy's face contorted from embarrasment to anger within split seconds.  
Remus smiled. If anyone was 'unwanted company' it was them!  
Taking his smile as a green signal the girl stood up and offered him her hand.

"I'm Lily Evans."  
Remus shook it half-heartedly.

"Remus Lupin" he heard himself croak. His throat was dry since it was probably the first time since the platform that he had uttered a word.

"Severus Snape" the boy spoke through his greasy curtains. Remus smiled at him but the boy only nodded as the corners of his lips strained upwards as though he had never smiled.

Remus went back to reading his book but the non-stop one-sided chatter of Lily unnerved him. He had been reading the same paragraph over and over again trying to make sense out of it but the chatter made it nearly impossible to even think.

"..You know Petunia, Severus, she's just..unbearable but that's what most siblings are like, right?"

The boy grunted something. Remus couldn't help but smile. Even her boyfriend was getting bored of her. Lily seemed to notice him smiling and before he could hide himself behind his book, she had already attacked.

"Remus, do you have any siblings?"

He shook his head, not wanting to join the conversation.  
"I have a sister, Petunia. Look here's a picture of her."

She said getting up and sitting much too close to Remus. She showed him a picture of a jet-black haired girl the same age as her wearing a white frock with a red ribbon tied around her ponytail.

"This is on her birthday." She said reaching out her arm to turn the page of the album. This was infiltration of Remus' boundaries. Her face was inches from his and he could smell the scent of the shampoo she had used.  
Lily seemed oblivious to the fact that she'd put Remus in an awful problem.

"This one, is of my birthday, these are all my school friends." She pointed to some faces. For Remus, this was amusing, given the number of friends he had-a lunatic postman, his father's cat and his books.

"The pictures don't move." Remus observed.

"I'm muggleborn." Lily said proudly.

Remus' doubt still wasn't clarified.

Severus spoke, "Muggle pictures don't move. They're still portraits."

Remus nodded. He didn't know much about muggles, his mother had run away from her family to marry his wizard father, so he didn't really have muggle relatives.  
Despite the strong aroma of Lily's shampoo, an unsettling stench reached Remus' nose.

"Dungbombs?" He mused aloud and stood up to get away from Lily. From the corner of his eye, he saw Severus' rigid shoulders relax.

"What are dungbombs?" Lily asked turning to Severus.

"I'll be back in a minute." Remus called before he shut the cabin door to leave the couple to themselves so he could investigate this matter.

Many of the cabins were empty as their occupants crowded the corridor. In the centre of the crowd a short, plump boy stood next to a group of tall students, some wearing Prefect badges. A red-haired Prefect asked the boy strictly.

"You were the first one to smell the dungbombs, weren't you? Did you happen to see who did it?"

Remus followed the petrified boy's gaze and saw a tall boy glaring at him and shaking his head so slightly that nobody seemed to notice him.

"N-No" the boy squeaked.

Of course! Remus knew who had thrown the dungbombs. It was those boys-the tall boy with disheveled black hair and his partner. But then-why weren't they there earlier? Remus had seen them reaching the crowd from the other side just as he had reached the scene. Realisation hit Remus like a lightning bolt.

" Maybe it was a diversion.." Remus mused aloud. He looked up suddenly and felt about a hundred pairs of eyes bore into him. He hid himself behind a pair of tall students.

His mother's whispered instructions came back to him.  
_"Remus, don't gather attention , try not to make friends"_

He slinked his way out of the crowd and rushed back to his cabin not looking back even once.  
On reaching the cabin, he sat down on his seat and to his relief neither of his two unwanted visitors questioned him. Lily had another one of her albums out and jumped to his side as soon as he sat down. He didn't hear what she said but nodded absent-mindedly. She was infiltrating his boundaries yet again.

She talked excitedly and Remus saw her sparkling green eyes, inches away from his own, for the first time. No wonder the greasy haired boy liked her, he thought, she's beautiful.  
Suddenly, the train jerked backward and Remus felt himself pushed onto the girl. He tried to pull away but something tugged at him.  
Severus had gotten up, his wand at the ready.

"Severus, No wait! It's my necklace, it's stuck in his coat." Lily wailed. Her hot breath fell on Remus' cheeks but he wanted to get out of the closeness, it was suffocating. Lily fidgeted with her hands.

At that moment, the glass door burst open and two people entered.

"I never caught your name!" James proclaimed loudly before gauging the situation.

Seeing Lily and Remus so close, Sirius squaked with laughter.

"Why, James! it's the redhead and it seems she has found a new boyfriend."

A low growl escaped Severus' thin lips as he turned the wand towards the boys. Lily had finally removed the necklace from Remus' sweater and as she distanced from him, he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Lily jumped up to Severus' side.  
Great, Remus thought, That's exactly what was missing- A two-on-two in his cabin while he read "Hogwarts, A History". He smacked his head with his palm.

"Surely, you two aren't dimwits enough to start a brawl here."  
Remus coaxed them. All four sets of eyes fell on him as they took his comment personally.

Severus lowered his wand and slumped into his seat next to Lily.

"What are you two doing here, following us?" Lily demanded barely able to contain her anger.

"As a matter of fact, we had been following this mister here" James pointed at Remus.

"We'd like a word in private" Sirius joined in.

"I'm fine here." Remus quickly replied. He'd been through a lot of bullying to know what 'a word in private' meant.

"Yes, whatever you have to say to Remus, say it here!" Lily added.

"Fine by me - Remus, as missy calls you, we observed you had exceptional talent" James hinted to Remus.

"Which I'm sure you don't seem to have!" Lily bellowed.

"Look here- you stay quiet or we're taking this conversation out" James warned her glaring into her green eyes.

"Fine!" She yelled and crossed her arms.

"So..." Sirius sat next to Remus and put an arm around his shoulders. Remus glared at him as an alarm sounded in Remus' mind. He tried to jerk his way out of the unwanted touch but found himself even more tightly wound in his grip.

"Will you join us?" Sirius asked with a charming smile plastered on his face.

"'Join us'?" Remus repeated.

"As in-be our friend?" Sirius held out his hand.

_'Friend' _

the word echoed in Remus' mind. His mother had warned him. Or had she?  
_"..try not to make friends"_ her voice filled his mind. He could make friends! He would keep his secret and try his best not to hurt anyone..but he could make friends.  
Sirius' face now sported a confused look. Remus' silence bothered him, somehow.

"Yes!" He croaked finally breaking into a wide grin and taking Sirius' hand.

* * *

Although the idea of having friends had been exhilarating for Remus, the fear began wrapping itself around him and it felt like a snake was coiling around him, tightening by the second.  
Lily's rant about how he had just committed a mistake didn't help either.

"I'm telling you Remus, those boys are prats!" Lily said for about the hundredth time. They were trying to get into the line which had formed in the corridor.  
She hushed down for some time and Remus soon found the reason.

"Remus! Come join us." James let Remus enter the line. Lily made to follow him but was barred by James' hand.

"Not you! Missy" he scowled. This set Sirius and Peter sniggering. Remus only looked more torn apart. He didn't meet Lily's eyes for the rest of the night.

The fear only tightened. _What if they get hurt? What if he hurts them?_  
No!  
He would never wish anyone's life to be cursed like his..not even his biggest enemy's life.  
Remus shook his head trying to erase the thought.

"Alright, Remus?"  
Remus looked up to find Sirius' grey eyes concerned.

He blurted, " I'm fine."

"Firs' yers this way! Firs' yers" a loud gruff voice broke his line of thoughts. A giant hairy bearded man beckoned to all the first years at the end of the Platform.

"I'm Hagrid, the groundskeeper.  
Yer going to have to walk it up to the boats, Follow me." His voice boomed after all the first years had arrived.

The first years trotted up the gravelly path which soon turned grassy and moist. Remus was lost in his thoughts yet again.  
_What if they found out? Would they tell everyone?_

If they did he would be kicked out of Hogwarts. He could already read the headline on the Daily Prophet:

_Hogwarts endangers students' lives._

His parents would have to move again. All his friends- gone. Jeers and taunts will fill his brain.  
His life will be destroyed-Again.  
Remus stopped walking suddenly. He felt goosebumps on his arms. He looked around to see that he wasn't the only one who had stopped.

"Wow" Peter whispered.

"When yeh reach the stone yeh'll be able to see the castle." Hagrid's voice reached majority of the first years, who were yet to reach the spot.

The path had opened up to a great black lake. Across the lake, atop a mountain-a huge, majestic castle shone through the night sky. It stood pompously with its many turrets and towers.

"Hurry up we don't want to miss the feast, eh?" Hagrid budged some of the awestruck first years.

At the edge of the lake a fleet of boats were lined ready to take the students. They sat four in each. James, Sirius, Peter and Remus got into one.

"Oh, how silly of me." James said sheepishly.

" Peter, this is Remus- Remus, Peter."

He said introducing the two. Remus shook hands absent-mindedly. He had only one thought in mind.

**_No matter what, he was not going to get kicked out of THIS place so soon._**


	3. Chapter 3-The Sorting

As the students walked up to the castle several of them talked about the Sorting.

"It's a written test." said some somberly at which Lily grinned and James grimaced.

"No we have to go through a maze full of obstacles." Sirius claimed at which Peter whimpered and Sirius' lips' corners turned upwards.

"My mum tells me it's a hat we need to put on our head- The Sorting Hat." A pudgy boy with blue eyes wearing oversize robes of them breathed a sigh of relief.

Sirius grinned. He knew exactly what the Hat was and what it did, thanks to his brother, Regulus.

"Tiny, whiny first years, Tripping, slipping toddlers. Watch your step, don't get in my way. Or wet and soggy you'll run away!" A huge ghastly form loomed in front of the crowd as they entered. Many of them squealed as the poltergeist belted water bombs on the skittering first years.

"Peeves!" Severus snared through his clenched teeth. "What-" Lily's question remained unspoken as Peeves aimed one of his larger bombs at Lily. Lily screamed and put her hands in front of her helplessly but the water bomb never hit her. She looked ahead to see James, who had blocked the attack, dripping wet. Her mouth fell open. James looked serious for a second, but immediately made a face and said, "Can't even take care of yourself, Missy?!" Sirius cackled and Peter sniggered. Lily glanced at Severus who was behind her and she was sure he was cursing.

"Peeves! Stop yer nuisance, I say!" Hagrid bellowed in the most dangerous growl Lily had ever heard. She saw Hagrid point his pink umbrella at Peeves and in a moment Peeves had vanished. A witch in deep emerald robes ran upto them, she wore a cone shaped hat and glasses and as of now, a number of wrinkles in her forehead.

"Hagrid, is anyone hurt?!" She quipped with a tight lip. Without waiting for his answer, she murmured,"I should have set The Baron on him earlier. What an awful disaster!" She fretted. She pointed her wand at the wet children and they were dried instantly. "Thankyou, Hagrid. I'll take it from here." She managed a tight-lipped smile before turning to the wide-eyed first years.

"Form a line and follow me" she said and began walking through the great oakwood doors of the castle to enter a huge hall lit by flames that cast huge shadows on the wall. Two staircases spiralled upwards and a chinkling chandelier hung from the ceiling which was far too high. They followed the stern Professor as she walked up to a room near another huge pair of doors. When all the students had filed in, she shut the door behind her and turned around to face them. In the light of the torches, Remus saw her jet-black eyes as they spanned over the edge of her sharp nose at all the students.

"I'm Professor Mcgonagall, your Transfigurations teacher. Welcome to Hogwarts. The feast is about to begin. But before you are seated, you will be sorted into one of the houses. There are four houses-Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin each of which are named after the founders of Hogwarts, each skilled in a different manner. There is a head of House for each house and one or more Prefects of each house. Your house will be like your family at Hogwarts for the next seven years. Any triumph will gain points for your house and any rulebreaking will cause deduction of points with detention." She looked around sternly and Remus decided automatically that to stay here he would have to stay out of trouble...which meant away from the troublemakers...he glanced at James and Sirius.

Remus' thoughts were interrupted as Professor Mcgonagall continued her instructions with a long piece of parchment in her hand. "Now, everyone will arrange themselves in a line as I call out your name. This will be the order in which you will be sorted. When we enter the Great Hall, you will sit on the stool placed in front of the staff table right at the end and place the Sorting Hat on your head. Right." She peered through her glasses and started calling out names and the students made a line.

The Great Hall bustled with excitement as Professor Mcgonagall led the first years in a line through the long tables. The hundreds of candles floating midair and glittering plates and goblets and the many ghosts whizzing through the hall held the first years enchanted under some kind of spell. Several of them gazed at the ceiling which portrayed a cloudless, starry sky. "It's enchanted to look like the sky outside" Lily whispered excitedly to Severus. Before he could reply, Remus spoke, "I know, 'Hogwarts-A History' " Realising that he had again grabbed attention of the surrounding students, Remus looked down at his feet. I have to stop saying things aloud, he thought angrily.

The students silenced as the Sorting Hat which sat on the stool ripped open and burst into a song. Many of them gasped with surprise. Others looked like this wasn't news to them. Soon Professor Mcgonagall began reciting names from the long piece of parchment that trailed to the ground.

"Abbott , Tyler" a well-dressed flat black haired boy walked calmly upto the stool and placed the hat. It quickly blurted. "Ravenclaw"

"Avengerly, Evangelina" A girl with raven-black hair neatly plaited pulled the Hat eagerly onto her head. "RaVEncLaw!" It said after a few moments.

The portly boy called Avery was the first to be sorted into Slytherin.

"Black, Bellatrix" A pale faced dark haired girl sat on the stool in front of the staff podium. "SLytherIn!" The hat roared as the girl trotted gladly towards the Slytherin table where she sat next to a girl elder to her but quite similar looking. When the few claps had quietened Professor Mcgonagall's voice protruded the air.

"Black, Sirius" Sirius walked over to the stool trying to be oblivious to some second year girls who giggled. James shot him a 'best of luck' and Peter nodded. Sirius didn't want to be in Slytherin but he didn't want to be the only Black Gryffindor! His brother Regulus had also been sorted into Slytherin, despite him being the closest family member and having almost the same personality as Sirius. He slid the hat on his head. "Another Black, eh?" A voice sounded in his ear. Regulus had told him about the Sorting Hat but despite that Sirius hollered. "You can read my mind?!" "Hmm..much more than just your mind...Quite the rebel, are you?" The Hat said as scenes of Sirius putting up Muggle posters on the walls of his room with a Sticking charm played in his mind. "Yes, very unlike the Black clan. Your sister, there, is a perfect Slytherin too. But you are not...you must be in.." The Hat mused. "GrYffindOr!" The Hat proclaimed. Sirius beamed at the hall which was full of disbelieving eyes set on him. Nevertheless, the Gryffindor table greeted their new recipient with the same fervour.

"Evans, Lily" Professor Mcgonagall called out. Lily walked upto the stool and lifted the Hat placed upon it. She pushed it on apprehensively. She gasped as the Sorting Hat began speaking inside her mind. "Hmm..bright child..yes. Witty would be wrong! Brave yes...Always against wrong, are you?" James watched the girl on the stool hoping that she would be sorted in any house but Gryffindor. Somewhere along the line, Severus was secretly hoping for the same. "GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted. Lily trotted upto the Gryffindor table giving a sorry look towards Severus before being welcomed by a cheering crowd. She shook hands with the Prefect and walked down to the very end of the table to take an empty seat next to a slender red-haired girl much older than her.

"Lily Evans"

"Molly Fairweather"

They shook hands and looked at the rest of the line of first years. Before her, a girl, Catherine Crinkles, had been sorted into Hufflepuff and a boy, Dartmouth, had been promptly sorted into Slytherin where he had been welcomed by a long blonde-haired Prefect.

"Who's he?" Lily asked the older girl gesturing towards the blonde haired Prefect.

"Lucius Malfoy. Don't you know him? His father Promethius Malfoy has quite an upper hand at the Ministry." The girl spoke casually.

"I'm muggleborn." Lily proclaimed.

"Looks like this feast isn't going to be enough to answer your questions then." The elder girl said.

The girls traded smiles. At that time, a pearly white apparition rose up through the table with his head in Lily's plate. Lily's scream was muffled as Molly placed a hand over her mouth.

"Sorry, Sir Nicholas. " Molly apologized to the ghost.

The ghost put a hand on its head and bowed while pulling slightly at his curly hair. Suddenly, his head tilted completely as if hinged at his neck revealing a very deep cut which hadn't managed to severe his head completely from his body. Seeing the frozen bloody mass near his ruffled collar, Lily turned a pale shade of green.

"Hey, Nick!" Another elder boy called some seats ahead and the ghost flew away as Lily finally let out the breath she had been holding.

"I feel sick"she murmured weakly as Molly stifled a giggle. Molly then charged into an introduction to the ghosts of Hogwarts telling her about the ghosts which were residents of the houses.

"So, Sir Nicholas de Mimpsy-Portington is the Gryffindor ghost, The Bloody Baron is the Slytherin ghost, The Grey Lady is the ghost of Ravenclaw and the Fat Friar is the ghost of Hufflepuff. And Peeves is a poltergeist, right? " Lily recounted to Molly. "Right" Molly answered.

"Longbottom, Frank" the voice rang through the hall. A pudgy boy with blue eyes and unkempt white blonde hair walked up to the stool and tripped on his oversized robes and fell. The hall erupted with laughter but Remus, who stood next in line, helped the boy up. "Thanks" the boy mumbled. "No problem." Remus replied, not used to thanks or apologies. "Hufflepuff" The Hat cried and more jeers and laughter scoured the hall. Remus could empathise with him. The laughter only increased as he walked up to the Hufflepuff table, where the Hufflepuff students, quite offended by the scene sank in their seats. "Keep quiet" Professor Mcgonagall's stern voice couldn't cut through the raucous chatter that had erupted in the Hall.

"SILENCE!" Professor Dumbledore, the principal, amplified his voice and every whisper quietened as it reverberated. Professor Dumbledore turned to Professor Mcgonagall and gestured to her. "Continue"

"Lupin, Remus" Professor Mcgonagall's voice cut through the silence as all eyes fell on Remus. Remus stumbled forward placing the Hat on his head and a gasp escaped his mouth when the Hat started speaking in his ear.

"Hmm...you're intriguing...talented yes. Witty, of course! But there's anger here and rebelliousness, lots of it...So I guess you know what it will be.." "Gryffindor!" The Hat roared and so did the Gryffindor table. Remus took the hat off and walked towards the table, looking down all the time.

"Remus! Come, Sit!" A grinning Sirius patted an empty place next to him. Lily, who had been clapping excitedly, stopped clapping. To her surprise, though, Remus walked right past a rather baffled Sirius and sat right next to her. Sirius kept staring at Remus but the boy paid no attention.

"You chose wisely, Remus" Lily reassured him, placing her palm on the boy's knee. Though she was crossing boundaries again, Remus didn't say anything and only nodded. Remus introduced himself to Molly and the two girls chatted on and on about the Professors, the subjects, Quidditch and the House Cup. Remus listened to the conversation whenever interested. During this time, another four students had been sorted into Ravenclaw, three in Hufflepuff, Peter in Gryffindor and two in Slytherin, out of which one Remus recognised to be Mulciber, one of the victims of the prank on the Hogwarts Express.

"Ogsden, Louis" a freckled brunette boy shifted his weight in the stool as the minutes ticked by and finally the Hat rang out. "Hufflepuff!" The hat shouted as the boy removed the hat.

"Potter, James" James walked confidently to the stool and no sooner did the Hat touch his head than he was sorted into Gryffindor. James trotted over to where Sirius had saved him a seat and searched for Remus, at which point of time Remus looked away not wanting to face the pranksters. Peter, who had already been sorted in Gryffindor was sitting across from the duo. The Sorting ended with a girl named Alice Rivers getting sorted in Ravenclaw and Severus getting sorted into Slytherin, a shadow of sadness passing both his and Lily's eyes as their eyes met before he dragged himself to the Slytherin table. Professor Dumbledore stood up and almost immediately the whole hall fell silent not wanting him to shout once more. He smiled, his electric blue eyes crinkling for only a second before he cleared his throat and began the Welcome speech.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, and welcome back to those who have returned from a good vacation. I'm sure your last year has been a lot of grueling lessons and all those lessons have been forgotten over the vacations." A low rumble of laughter ensued from the crowd. "However, we hope you excel in your academics as well as in extra-curriculars this year. As always, I will request students to not use magic in between classes and nobody is to loiter after dinner. And for those who don't understand, the forbidden forest is not to be trespassed. Mr. Filch has put up a list of all magical objects which are forbidden and anyone possessing them shall be punished. Another alert- a new tree, the Whomping Willow has been planted on the grounds and I would request everyone that if they love their life dearly, they wouldn't go near the destructive tree."

"Why in the world would they plant it then?" James whispered. Sirius nodded in agreement. Peter only looked confused.

"Mr. Potter, I request you to not question the way the school is conducted." Professor Dumbledore said staring right through the crowd at James sending a shiver down James' spine. All sets of eyes fell on him and he sunk lower in his seat. "Alright then, I won't starve you anymore. The last words for today- Mimbulus Mimbletonia!" Professor Dumbledore finished and snapped his fingers.

Immediately the gold and silver plates filled with delicious food and the hungry students were dumbfounded. A huge array of wonderful food had appeared- roast chicken, beef, turkey, sausages, pork, steak, veggies and a number of sauces and dips. Puddings, muffins, pumpkin pasties, ice-cream, hot chocolate, goblets filled with pumpkin juice, squashes and milkshakes. It was Peter's dream come true. He gobbled food down, piling his plate repeatedly whereas James and Sirius were having a sort of competition-who would empty the stock of food first! Remus didn't remember the last time he had seen so much food.

Lily looked smug and said in a satisfied voice, "Serves him right!" before piling food onto her plate.

"Nobody's ever interrupted Dumbledore's speech." Molly agreed and took a sip of pumpkin juice from her goblet.

"He's a special kind of 'arrogant'." Lily proclaimed as she took a bite of banana pie.

"You know him?" Molly asked casually.

Lily's fork fell down with a clatter as she gulped the bite loudly. Some other students looked at her.

"I won't be caught dead with him!" She roared oblivious to the looks she was receiving.

Molly looked at her suspiciously before changing the topic and talking to Remus. "So, Remus, do you have any siblings?"

Caught off guard, Remus let out a grunt before shaking his head. Molly was taken aback.

"Can he talk?" Molly whispered to Lily.

Lily giggled before saying," Yes, but he's a little shy. You need to make him comfy first." Remus didn't know how to react to the fact that the girls were approaching him as if he was their pet. He shook his head with a wry smile only to induce another few giggles from Lily and a smile from Molly. What had he gotten himself into, Remus thought, as he glanced at Lily.

He finished his food and followed Lily and the other Gryffindor first years in a jumbled cue lead by the Prefect. Upon climbing the magical staircases and the corridors flanked by portraits and armors on either side, they reached a portrait called The Fat Lady. The fat lady in it rustled her frock and boomed.

"Password?"

"Flobberworm pus" the red-haired Prefect said and led them to the Common Room through the portrait hole. When all the students had filed in and the portrait hole had shut, the Prefect started giving instructions.

"I'm Arthur Weasley, the Gryffindor Prefect. The dormitories are divided in the girls and boys section." He said pointing towards two staircases. "Boys are not allowed to walk up to the girls' dorm rooms you will only slide back is the notice board; all notices about ongoing or upcoming events will be found there. " he said pointing at a huge board along one wall.

"Magic is not allowed within the Common Room. Roaming around after hours will get you detention and penalty of points. I hope you will all try to support the house to win the House Cup. Any problems, approach me anytime."

"Now, I would like you to check your pockets for your dorm number. Your trunks and other belongings are already by the bedside." He turned around as he opened the doors to the staircases to allow entry into them. Most of the students went right up to sleep in their bed but some others toiled around in the Common Room, taking comfortable seats near the fire that crackled warmly.

Lily bade Remus goodbye saying, " It's going to be a busy day tomorrow, I don't want to risk being sleepy on my first day!" Remus looked at his dorm number. The stone piece had 22 etched in an ancient English script Remus recognized from one of his father's books. He quickly reached his dorm and changed into his nightclothes. There were four beds here. Thinking it was better to sleep quickly rather than meet the three mystery dorm-mates Remus slipped under the blankets and pulled the curtains close.

He dreamt vividly that he was flying up above the hills surrounding Hogwarts. But he wasn't alone, he was racing with someone. He tried to see his partner's face. His disheveled black hair flying wildly with the wind, Remus found his opponent to be none other than James. Over the wind's whirring, James shouted," Are you number 22?!" Remus was confused but a bang confirmed what he had heard.

The dorm room door was being locked as James spoke again," I bloody lost my voice asking all those nutheads-Are you number 22? But nobody-" James stopped mid-sentence.

"Of course, number 22 is fast asleep here!" He bellowed as Remus wondered whether he could be any louder! He heard two other boys sniggering and gawking. Then Remus heard a soft thud as something hit one of them.

"These pillows are quiet soft dyu reckon?" Remus heard a boy say and immediately recognized him as Sirius.

"Not if you hit them hard!" James said as a louder thud was heard.

"Stop it! You're ripping them." Peter cried. "Fine, then. We won't use pillows." James said sincerely.

Peter sighed and said," Good lets sleep-" but couldn't complete his sentence as James cried.

"Incoming!" And Remus heard a loud clunk against the ground and Peter's groan.

"Whaddya do that for?!" Peter wailed. Before James could say anything, another weight fell to the ground and both of them groaned in cue. Soon they were laughing, rustling on the ground, fisting each other.

Remus was terrified and convinced to completely ignore these beasts the first day onwards. When after a few minutes of laughing he heard someone rustling closer, he quickly shut his eyes tight, pretending to be fast asleep. He heard one of the curtains being picked up.

"Oh look who our fourth dorm-mate is!" James exclaimed. Remus heard the two boys approaching his bed.

"Remus?!" Peter said.

"Ha! Now how is he going to ignore us?!" Sirius cackled.

Remus' heart started thumping faster as this fact hit him. He was in a soup. How was he ever going to ignore these powerfull and cunning pranksters without being a victim of their pranks?!

* * *

**AUTHOR"S NOTE:**

**Hey guys, it's me! I'm very very new to this but am very greatful to those who have favorited or are following me! I'm planning on twisting a few cannon characters and adding a few non-cannon ones but I NEED THOSE REVIEWS! Suggestions or what you like or dislike, Anthing would be helpful thanks again!**

**Oh and most probably I won't be able to update until after the 2nd of June.**


	4. Chapter 4-First Day

**Alright so this is the first day of Hogwarts for the Marauders. Yep read through it, there is a touch on Severus' mindset and..ok! Read it before i spill the beans!**

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"Transfiguration requires concentration and full attention. I expect all my students to excel in it and hope that you live up to my expectations. "

Professor Mcgonagall looked meaningfully at the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor first years. Lily was ready with a quill and parchment and a bottle of ink uncapped. Remus sat next to her, equally eager. Two benches diagonally behind them Sirius sat with crossed arms and an empty table in front of him while James had his Transfiguration book covered with his arms as he sprawled sleepily on it. The boy named Frank Longbottom was in a similar position in one of the middle benches, though his partner, a girl named Catherine Crinkles was taking in every word, rapt with attention.

"In your first year we will only be limiting ourselves to non-living objects. Starting small, we'll progress to bigger objects. The tests that will be conducted in your first four years will not contain Practical s but after that you will be giving the OWLs and the NEWTs , both of which will have seperate Practicals for each subject and eventually will decide your magical profession."  
She finished with a peek above her glasses.

The teacher then started with making them recite the incantation appropriately with the correct movement of the wand.  
"Now, form pairs and try to transfigure these matchsticks into needles. Follow the steps. Focus. Wave your wand. Speak the incantation correctly. Now, go on."  
Professor Mcgonagall waved her wand and a bunch of matchsticks appeared on each table. She walked around the benches observing and giving advice to students.

" Twirl and snap. Twirl and snap." Lily murmured as she waved her wand the third time. In five minutes, Sirius had transfigured two of his matchsticks to perfect pinpoint needles. Gryffindor was promptly rewarded ten points.

Not to be outdone, Lily transfigured all of her matchsticks to needles while Remus followed suit though not wanting to be part of a competition. James was next and Catherine Crinkles followed.

In about half an hour, every desk sported smooth, pointed needles, except that of Peter and his partner, Frank ; which was still full of matchsticks. Professor Mcgonagall was in the middle of giving them instructions , when the hour long class finally ended and eager students jumped up from their seats.  
Professor Mcgonagall, however, didn't let them leave without giving homework.

"First lecture of the year, and we've already got homework!" James sighed dramatically as he trotted next to Sirius and Peter. He brightened up considerably and exclaimed.

"Say, Sirius! Marvellous way of outshining missy, there! Should've seen her face-" He stopped mid-sentence as he was pushed over by the red-headed girl followed by the boy who hadn't been talking to them ever since they had walked in through the castle gates.

"Why, he's been acting funny.." Sirius said gesturing towards Remus' retreating figure.  
"Yeah, ever since the Sorting" Peter nodded.  
"What do we care anyway. Don't want to be our friend? Suit Yourself!" James said angrily.

Though the other two boys didn't agree with him, they grunted approvals as they walked towards the dungeons for Potions with the Slytherins. Professor Slughorn was running late. The students stood in haphazard groups waiting for him. The Slytherins had already arrived, some of them leaning against the stone walls speaking in low voices.

"Is it just me or are these folk downright wierd?" James whispered audibly. About half of the Gryffindor first years laughed. Sirius shook his head in amazement at his friends' guts. Lily huffed and made her way to Severus' side as Remus followed silently.

James cracked another joke which sent all of the Gryffindors sniggering now.

"Find something funny, Potter?" Severus spat.

"Severus, don't." Lily requested him tugging him by his cloak.

"Yeah, Snivellus don't!" James mimicked Lily and she looked too mortified to retaliate.

"Listen to your lady, Snivellus!" Sirius added sending sparks of anger through Severus body. He raised his wand and roared with fury.  
"Or what?!"

Two boys arised behind him, both with wands drawn out. One of them challenged them by repeating,  
"Yeah, Or WhaT?!"

James and Sirius automatically recognized them and a mischievous glint in both of their eyes confirmed it. They had been the first victims of their prank on the train. Everyone was too involved in this two-on-two to hear the heavy footsteps.

"Alright, boys..No wandfights.." A gruff voice startled everyone as the boys' wands flew out of their hand and into a short man's hand. He had prominent eyes, a bald head and a walrus-like moustache, his bulging cloak could barely hide his enormous belly. Remus was sure he wasn't the only one taking in the short man's appearance.

"In you go" the man said unlocking the door and pushing it open. A cold, mouldy breeze welcomed the students as they filed in silently. When each bench had been occupied, the man locked the door.  
Sirius made a mental note to never be late in this man's class.

Lily and Severus picked the first bench and Remus followed them in the second bench. Seizing the opportunity, Sirius slid next to Remus as James and Peter sniggered from a bench diagonally left from theirs.

"Alright so..I'm Professor Slughorn, you might be seeing me for the first time because I have arrived just this morning.."

"Yes, our timetables were given by Professor Moody, who I suppose, isn't our Head of House. " Severus said as he sat next to Lily in the front desk.

"That's right. I'm the Slytherin Head of House. I hope Lucius has given you all the necessary instructions?"  
He asked Severus and with from him, he continued in his gruff voice.

"Alright, now raise your hand when I call your name." He said, starting with the roll call. He paused at every name that interested him, to ask more of the lineage or boast about how he had taught the child's parents in this same class years ago. Finally, when the rollcall ended, he picked up the Potions book and while leafing through it, he addressed the class.

"We will have six chapters in the first year. I hope everyone's purchased the books and materials that are required. For today, you will be pardoned. You can use some of these." Professor Slughorn said heaving two packages onto the nearest desk. On opening them, he showed the students a paraphernalia of old forgotten Potion books and cauldrons, stirrers, scales, the whole set.

"You can bring your cauldrons from the storeroom. Also check for the ingredients which you need-they're all in the storeroom." He continued as he left the storeroom door wide open and walked across the room to his table.

"Today, we'll be making a draught used to get rid of sleep. A spoonful of the 'Sleepless Stew' is capable of keeping you sleepless for a week, useful for exam-time, but in huge amounts it can cause a very irritating disorder-insomnia." Professor Slughorn explained. The students burst into excited whispers.

"Now, I conduct my classes in such a way that my students concoct easy and straight-forward Potions and draughts and at the end of each class the best Potion-maker earns points for his House. But when it comes to difficult or tricky Potions- I demonstrate. Today, you all are lucky, because I am going to allow you to prepare the Potion on your own in the first lecture itself-" Suddenly the droopiness of the class lifted and everyone started whispering excitedly.

"BUT-" Professor Slughorn added,immediately to inform them about the conditions that followed.

"any casualty or damage might make me change my mind." He warned lifting a stubby finger and looking sternly in the first years' eager eyes. Everyone shrugged at that. That wasn't going to be too difficult now, was it?

"Get to work! You've got only 45 minutes." Professor Slughorn encouraged them and heaved himself up from the chair. The students didn't need to be told twice.

"Gurdyroot, toad's legs, finebrothel and ripe mandrake shreddings" Lily read out of her Potions book before rushing towards the storeroom with a small wooden homemade basket. Severus burst out of the storeroom at the precise moment.

He mumbled something like  
"Too slow" but cleared his throat and amended it to  
"You're running out of time"  
He hesitated awkwardly before offering

"I'll share" Lily smiled and her smile only widened when she saw Severus smile, even though it was only for a split second.

Severus smiled. Something that Lily was sure was impossible. Sure he'd made her smile and laugh all the time by making fun of Petunia and better- scaring her! But Lily had never really seen him smile..  
'Maybe he smiles when I'm not looking' she thought.

"Move!Budge over!" a shout from the storeroom door startled both of them causing Severus to drop some of the mandrake shreddings. He bent down to gather them and hoped to fled the scene before there was a scene created by the last person he would want to see as of now.

"Who's-a-blocking-the-Oh!" James' voice stopped just above Severus' head. He was peeking from above a mountain of paraphernalia.

Before James could utter a word, Sirius ran over to them yelling,  
"We don't need pug dung and finickles, what're you doing?!"  
"Shhh! I'm improvising..now no more leaks to our competitors Sirius!" giving him a mock glare before walking off.

More than relieved, Severus walked towards his own desk. Lily had already arranged the ingredients.  
"Look, Severus, I know we're friends but we've got to follow the rules of this competition and work independently,even if we're sharing the ingredients."

"Right" he breathed absent-mindedly. He glanced at the clock. Five minutes had already gone. No problem. He'd done this many times. Sometimes below half an hour.  
He focused his attention to the ingredients in front of him with a rare look at the Potions book to confirm the right amount of everything.

He snatched the tool called a craxel which had a thick handle and very thin and sharp pincers. The toad's legs were frozen as usual. He swiftly crushed the toad's legs, piercing through the crack, he removed the slimy leg out and collected all the others in a bowl.  
Then, he added a spoon and a half of finebrothel-a silvery glazy liquid-to his cauldron before lighting a magical fire below it.  
He added the toad's legs and the liquid simmered slowly dissolving the legs and turning a pale shade of yellow-green. He looked at the clock once more - half an hour five minutes more to grate the mandrake shreddings, and fill them inside a hole carved out of each of the five gurdyroots then to add them and rotate the spoon twice clockwise once anticlockwise repeating it another three times three times.  
Lily, who was midway her own Potion filled the last gurdyroot and glanced at Severus. The boy had something of a passion-no much more than passion-for this subject. They'd been friends for two years now, ever since Severus had moved in, but she had never known about his love for Potion-making. She couldn't help but smile whenever she saw him rhythmically rotating his spoon as if it were an art.  
She turned to her own Potion- it was bubbling- time to add the filled gurdyroots with the help of the ladle.  
She then turned to the Potions textbook.  
10. Now rotate your ladle six times clockwise and then three times anticlockwise. The Potion should be clear sparkling blue by now.  
She did the same and got a clear sparkling blue.  
Lily gasped with surprise wide-eyed.  
"That's perfect." A gruff voice said from behind her back.  
She turned around to thank Professor Slughorn but was disappointed to learn that he wasn't talking about her Potion.

Severus nodded his head courteously and said,  
"Thank you, Professor but I was advised by Lily" he said gesturing towards the gaping girl.

"Lily?" Professor Slughorn shifted to meet Severus' gaze.

"Lily Evans- sir- she's a natural" Severus added. And as Professor Slughorn's attention shifted to Lily, Severus let out a sigh of relief. He didn't like the unnecessary attention. He was satisfied with brewing the Potions to his desired level of perfection.

Sirius could see Professor Slughorn over at Snivellus' table. He glanced at his own Potion. His Potion had been alright- he'd put in all the vials of finebrothel and added the grated mandrake shreddings to the holes in the gurdyroots. He flipped through the Potions textbook for the umpteenth time.

"Sirius. I need help"

" Not now James.."

"But it's smoking.."

James didn't need to say anything else. Sirius looked up to see black putrid smoke boiling of an angry boiling sooty black mixture. Remus had already put off the magical fire and was peering closely.  
"Alright whose cauldron is smoking?" Professor Slughorn growled in anger as he waded across the room.  
The boiling sooty black Potion started rising upto the brim and spitting out. Professor Slughorn quickly cast a vanishing charm on the Potion but not quick enough.  
Both Sirius and Remus, who had been nearest to the cauldrons had sustained burns and huge pimples.  
"Rush to Madame Pomfrey for a burn heal, though for the pimples she will have to find an antidote or worse-Make one." An enraged Professor Slughorn called after the two boys as they ran up for Madame Pomfrey's assistance.

"My,my! Burns and pimples on the first day!" The young woman shrieked as she ran into the Medicine room. She returned with a lotion.

"This is for the burns. I will have to search for the antidote for the pimples-What color is the pus?" She asked waiting in the doorway.

"Green. Like a fresh leaf."  
It was Remus who had answered the lady. He'd been taught manners well enough to not answer an elder's question.

Madame Pomfrey came in anyway and checked the pimples under an eyepiece that hung from a chain around her neck.

"Fine. Don't touch them. It'll take atmost half an hour to brew the right Potion. I'll send a note to Professor Slughorn and you've got Herbology now isn't it?"

Both the boys nodded.  
"All right, I'll notify Professor Sprout. I'll be back. Call me by pressing this bell if any other student turns up." She said before running out of the doors into the stone corridor.

The two boys stared at the ward, the neatly made beds, The flowerpots on every bedpost, anywhere but at each other. Sirius broke the awkward silence first.  
"Boy, I'd love to miss classes to sleep here..chomping on candies sent by my friends and family."

Remus couldn't stop himself from correcting the boy.  
"But it doesn't take that much time possibly. Madame Pomfrey said it takes "atmost" half an hour to brew antidotes. But that's only the case of Potions accidents."

Remus shook his head when he saw Sirius confused face frozen.  
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

Remus sighed and added.  
" I mean-apart from Potions accidents all other matters are trivial she probably cures them in minutes, the way she was speaking..."

Sirius was grinning widely at Remus, making him more conscious. He hated it when anyone crossed his boundaries but it unnerved him even more if someone gave him attention- -too much attention. His mother was the only exception.

"What?!" He asked.

"Where have you been all my life?" Sirius put on his most charming smile and his silver-grey eyes glinted.

"You do realise your charm won't affect me..unless..I were to be..queer?"

Sirius' pretentious face fell back to the confused one.

"Queer?" He repeated.

" Yeah, queer, strange, imbalance in nature- call it whatever you want." Remus said quickly wanting to change the topic.

"No-what does it mean!?" Sirius almost yelled giving Remus the impression that the boy always got his questions answered...or maybe quite the opposite.

"A strange inkling towards one of your own gender." Remus replied as though he were reading it out of an invisible dictionary.

Sirius closed his mouth and let the message sink in.. Then, he burst out laughing. He hollered and added after taking deep gasps for breath  
" Then it must be Greece where it broke out- wearing all those liquid, velvety gowns and crowns surely made someone have an inkling towards one of their own gender. Haha!" He hollered yet anouther round of contageous laughter.

Remus couldn't help but laugh. And it felt great to laugh so he laughed a little more. The feeling was overwhelming. His head was filled with the liquid mirth that had been a stranger ever since... No Remus wasn't going to think about it.

Sensing Sirius' stare he looked up into his cheerful eyes.  
"Wow, I've never seen you smile!"

Remus circumvented the comment by saying.  
"You'd never seen me before the train ride last night- so it seems fair enough."

Sirius' retort to that statement remained unspoken as at that moment the doors flung open. A shock of red hair was first to be seen after whom around three more people entered.

"Remus, are you alright?! Oh no! Look at those burns!" Lily fretted as she ran upto his side followed by a rather half-hearted Severus. If there would be one thing Severus wasn't good at- it would have to be feelings. He couldn't 'feel' sorry for a person even though he said it inarguably genuinely through his thin lips. People always thought he was cold hearted but that's only because they never tried to know him.

"I-am-fine" Remus choked from the suffocating hug that Lily had gripped him into.  
'Maybe she doesn't understand when not to do some things' Remus thought to himself as he pulled himself away from the hug.

He glanced at Severus who looked like he was being strangled by an invisible intruder.  
She definitely doesn't understand.

"Sirius, I'm so sorry. It was all my fault. Had I not asked for your help-You wouldn't have been hurt, my dear friend." James gloated while wiping away mock tears at which Sirius chuckled and Peter sniggered.

"Had you not decided to 'improvise', both 'your dear friend' and Remus wouldn't have been in this condition!" Lily yelled from Remus' side silencing the three boys.

"Lily, I'm not that hurt- it's just pimples and a couple of burns here and there. That's mild. " Remus said quickly, thinking that the Hospital area was definitely not a good place for a brawl.

Lily scoffed and continued," That still doesn't give him license to continue with his stupidity!"

Remus looked up to see her determined face-her nostrils flaring because of unvented fury.  
So that's why she's here! Realisation hit Remus like a punch in his stomach.

"You should get going, Herbology might've started already." Remus showed them the clock.

Severus seconded that," Professor Sprout isn't lenient from what I've heard. "  
He turned towards Lily and added,"Besides, I've got to run in the opposite direction for Dark Arts.."

She nodded and turned to Remus  
"I'll lend you my notes later on. Now, excuse us" she said and ran out the door just as quickly as she'd barged in with Severus following her.

"Well, we've got to run too, mate. See you in recess." James added to Sirius and he exited the room followed by Peter. Once they were out of earshot Sirius turned to Remus with a gleam in his eye.

"Hey, you wanna lurk out in the Restricted section of the library tonight? I've been waiting to see those books ever since I heard of them."

Remus was caught off guard, yet again. He managed to blurt out,  
"You like reading?!"  
Sirius explained.

"Nah, It was grown into me. The Blacks have a huge library and my parents have been determined to make me read and learn each one of those since I was three. Then, I started liking them."

"Your parents?"

"Nope. The books. I don't know when I'll start liking my parents." He said cheekily, at which Remus couldn't help but smile.  
Sensing the direction the conversation was taking, Sirius decided to change the topic.

"So, what about your folks? where're you from?"  
Remus froze. He knew this question would come anytime now but he wasn't prepared with a good lie yet. He'd just have to white lie then.

"We're the Lupins from far south." He started vaguely.

"Far south?"

"Yeah, we move a lot so we've practically covered the Southern tip."

"Your father has on-the-move assignments?!" Sirius gushed.

"Sort of." Remus agreed. His father had one hell of an assignment on-the-move and that was the boy himself.

"Is he an Auror?" Sirius' next question popped up almost instantaneously.

"I can't tell...really..." Remus hesitated. The boy might start doubting his story if he went on, he'd have to stop answering.

"It's classified!"Sirius cried out," Of course! It's Ministry matters. I can't badger you with anymore questions"

Remus let out a sigh of relief. Atleast, it had been stalled for some more time. On the other hand, this boy wasn't at all a bully as Remus had imagined. He was friendly and not too uncomfortably clingy, unlike Lily, his first friend from Hogwarts.  
Remus wondered whether he'd been wrong about it all. He'd have to find out.

* * *

Sirius was sitting by the fire staring at his essay on the history of Transfiguration. He wasn't the only one awake though. James was sprawled on the sofa, scratching his head with his quill. Peter was writing something on a piece of parchment.

"I'd thought you would find it easy." James called to Sirius waking him from his trance.  
He shrugged. Why did they think he was smart?

"What with the homeschooling your parents gave you..." James tried his luck to get a chance to copy Sirius' essay. Sirius showed the other two boys his blank parchment to prove his point. James slumped back into the sofa.

"Where's Remus?" Peter squeaked.

Sirius had been wondering the same thing. After all, Sirius had been dismissed just halfway through recess, surely Remus would be dismissed soon. But Remus hadn't turned up for Defence against Dark Arts, neither did he appear for Charms. But the teachers seemed to skip his name as though he was expected to be absent. Sirius and Peter weren't the only ones who took note of Remus' absence, Lily was rather worried too. She'd run through any place possible double-checking the library and when finally she came to Madame Pomfrey's office, she got the same reply the boys had gotten earlier.

"He's very sick. He needed to be shifted to St. Mungo's"

Sirius would have to be mad to think the boy'd been admitted to an actual hospital because of the Potions accident. He had to find out.


	5. Chapter 5-Serendipitous Beginnings

Madame Pomfrey's voice woke him up. He felt really weak. He blinked his eyes and turned his head towards her voice. The light was too harsh. He had to tell her.

"Madame Pomfrey" he said and only then did he hear how raspy and dry his voice was.

The lady dressed in white turned around and came up to the end of his bed. She wasn't alone. But, he couldn't see who it was or even hear that person's voice. The person's breathing was the only proof right now.

"Light"  
he said moving his arm toward the open window. He felt a searing burn crawling up his arm to his shoulder.

"Aghh!" He heard himself grunt with pain as he retracted his arm back into the sheets.

Madame Pomfrey shut the window and pulled the curtains. She rushed to the bedside with Murtlesap essence and applied it to his arm. Almost immediately, the boy relaxed. However, she made him drink a sleep-inducing Potion to reduce his pain. He fell asleep again.

"Remus, Remus..." He could hear his name being chanted over and over again each time growing softer and more distant. It must be a dream, it had to be. She couldn't have...or maybe she did. He sat up immediately.

"Mother." he said, his voice was back.

A petite woman dressed in lilac robes with a similar colored umbrella and handkerchief looked up. Her tear-strewn brown eyes looked into the chocolate brown of Remus' eyes. She wiped her eyes with her hanky and stood up calling towards the Medicine room.

"Oh! Madame?! He's up! He's awake!" She cried hysterically.

Madame Pomfrey appeared from the doorway with a clipboard and her wand. She muttered something and under the silvery glow emanating from her wandtip she scanned each part of Remus' body. She ticked across his name and signed and nodded to Remus turning to his mother who looked relieved at seeing Remus awake and healthy.

"I have discharged him. Visitor hours end in half an hour. I'll leave the door open and come back here in exactly half an hour." She said and left the hospital wing.

Madame Pomfrey peeped in through the open door again.  
"Oh, Remus? A girl turned up everyday to give you notes. They're on the table in the Medicine room."  
She said and disappeared again.

Remus searched for the notes and found a thick set of notes which he readily put into his satchel.  
Remus walked up to the window and opened it. It was dark outside. A little before sunrise. That was good. He hadn't missed breakfast.

"Are they taking care of you properly?" His mother's voice was tender again.

"Yes. Madame Pomfrey takes really good care of me, Mother. You didn't have to come all the way..."

His mother sighed.  
"Just like your father, aren't you? It's really very early to notice my presence, Remus, nobody's going to talk."

Remus turned around from the window to face his mother. He saw worry etched into her wrinkles and creased forehead. He didn't have to be so...so rude.

"I didn't mean that, Mum. It's just..." Remus was at a loss for words. His mother walked up to him and placed one hand gingerly on his shoulder brushing a scar that bristled at contact. He flinched.

"I understand, Remus. You don't like to be taken care of. To be treated like a baby."

He didn't know what to say to that. A part of him agreed but he had to agree there was more to that other part.

"I don't like to be smothered." He said and instantaneously regretted it. A pained expression played on his mother's face as she looked at him, trying to gather strength to reply to that.

"I am your mother, Remus. I have a right to worry, to care."

She continued hysterically.  
"I know you were taken away from me by your father when you were very young. I can only imagine what he put you through, without any motherly affection." She sighed and looked into his brown eyes.

"You've changed, Remus. That's all I'm saying. You don't like to face your feelings anymore."  
She stopped, gasping for breath as she wiped her sweaty forehead with a napkin.

Remus tried to sink in everything that she had just said, picking at each word and sentence. This happened to him when he was too...emotional. His brain worked too slowly. He did things senselessly, without having them worked out in his mind.

"Mother!... Mum! " he shouted as he saw her get up hastily making for the door. She turned from the door and said,

"I won't smother you now, Remus."  
and she walked out of the open door not looking back once, even to close the door.

Remus ran to his dorm room skipping a few steps at a time. He had purposely left the hospital wing late, to avoid any further contact with the pranksters. He had only about fifteen minutes to gather his books, wash up, eat his breakfast and set off for his next class which would be...Oh! for the sake of Merlin! He'd have to know what day it was. The first day had been a Monday. He should have asked Madame Pomfrey what day it was!

He budged open the door of dorm room 22 to see Sirius and Peter standing at either side of James' bed. He tried to avert the awkward situation by doing things quickly. But he needed to know what day it was to pack up quickly. So he walked towards his four poster bed and picked up a book. To his surprise, Sirius walked up to him.  
"Hey, where were you the last three days?" He asked as casually as 'how was the weather'.  
Remus didn't answer. He silently searched for Transfigurations, Charms, DADA and Herbology books. He could come up here in recess for the rest of the books.

Sirius ignored the fact that he hadn't answered and continued in his casual tone.  
"We were just wondering where you had gone..uhh...you've missed a lot of Transfiguration and DADA! Oh you don't know Moody, do you? "  
Sirius was waiting for him to jump into the conversation anytime so he thought he'd just keep talking till something caught his interest. Peter was nudging him in the ribs and it was hurting by the second. Finally, Sirius' patience knew no bounds.

"What?!" He growled and Peter cowered under his tall physique but pointed to the bundle of sheets and jumbled up black hair on the nearest four poster bed to remind him what they were doing prior to the disturbance.

"Oh!" Sirius slapped his hand against his forehead. He thought he heard a snort from behind him but when he turned around, the boy had gone. He mentally kicked Peter and then unleashed his fury on the sleeping body of James Potter.

"Ow! Hahahah! What?!" He giggled and screamed as Peter tickled him and Sirius tackled him from his bed to the stone floor where the boy fell with a heavy thud.

"OW! What in the world-" But James question was left hanging in the air as Sirius pulled him up by his night shirt collar and said

"We are hungry. You're going to make us late for breakfast. Now come on!" He pulled his collar in the forward direction and despite James' protests he couldn't free himself from Sirius' grip.

'Boy, he's one adamant twit!' James thought sourly, hoping that his dream would continue the next time he fell asleep.

After a quick shower and plunging in of books and scrambling into robes the three of them ran towards the Great Hall. There were only a few more students in the Hall now. One or two Hufflepuffs and a group of Slytherins and their silent dorm mate who sat a few tables ahead. They rushed to the nearest desk of Gryffindor table. The dishes were filled with delicious food. For a few minutes, they gobbled up as much as they could hungrily.

Remus could see them from the corner of his eye. The three of them could be found in a crowd of Gryffindors by their mere oddness. He let out a sigh of relief when he spotted them slumping into the desk on the very edge. He had thought Sirius would come up to him. The boy was persistent.

The staff table was emptying. Professor Slughorn and Professor Mcgonagall left the table as Professor Dumbledore got up and the bell set off. Another short Professor scrambled out of his high seat following a stout lady Professor who was in conversation with Madame Pomfrey. The last one to leave was him- Professor Moody. How did Remus know his name? Well, because he was the one Professor Dumbledore had specially called for, when his father and him had come to Hogwarts for admission. Though Remus had received his letter, his father had doubted it. So he insisted to meet Professor Dumbledore to clear the situation. Quite later, Remus had learned that the Headmaster had consulted each one of his Professors and not just the ever-suspicious Professor Moody.  
Something struck Remus like lightning. He didn't even have time to release himself from the tightening hug. He thought he might die if he wasn't let go.

"Lil-ly" he choked.  
The girl drew back much to the relief of Remus. She hadn't seen his breathlessness yet and tidied her hair as she said brightly.

"Madame Pomfrey,there, said you'd been discharged!" She gasped for breath pointing at the seat where the lady had been sitting earlier, next to Dumbledore.

"So I ran down here earlier but you weren't here. I checked the library again-Maybe you were taking something for night reading...but not there either. "

Remus opened his mouth to talk but she continued.  
"So I ran to the Owlery-Might be sending a letter to your folks , I thought, but I was wrong again! Can you believe how many times a person can be wrong in one morning?" She asked rhetorically as her green eyes sparkled.

Remus decided to let her speak and shrugged with a confused look on his face.

"I know, right? Then, I decided to go back to the hospital wing- I should have checked it earlier but I was in such a hurry to check the Great Hall..." She shook her head animatedly.  
"Missed you there again! Oh Merlin! You might be flying to places, for all I know. Anyway, then I also contemplated breaking into the boys' dormitory-Hogwarts,A History doesn't say anything about boys' dormitory stairs turning into slides!" She giggled and Remus couldn't help but smile.

"Gibberjibbles! " she hit her forehead dramatically.

"What?!" Remus asked clearly dumbfounded by her choice of words.

"The bell already rang! Come quick!" She pulled him up and started running ahead, then stopped and walked back down again. She took hold of his satchel and held him by the hand.

As she walked him up the numerous steps by playing the role of a walking stick, she grumbled  
"There should be lifts here..."

"What are lifts?" Remus asked inquisitively.

She launched into an informative description of lifts and cranes and machinery that Remus could only have dreamt of.

As they reached the Transfigurations classroom, Remus asked her tentatively.

"Don't you want to ask me where I was?"

Lily looked into his eyes and shook her head.  
"If you wanted to tell me, you would already have said it."

Remus looked away guiltily at that but Lily continued.

"For now, I'm happy you're back!" She smiled angelically and Remus smiled back but their smiles were short-lived. They both turned to the door of the classroom. Both being sincere students, had never been late and didn't know what they should do.

Remus knocked on the door which had been locked. They had never been so late for classes.  
The door opened on its own and ironically Remus wished he would be able to see Professor Mcgonagall in front of him. After all, it was better than stepping into the class not knowing where to see to bear the incoming attack...which was exactly what happened.  
They entered into the teacherless classroom which was pindrop silent. An ominous scene.  
Their class was barely ever so silent, even when it was Professor Mcgonagall teaching.  
Remus scanned the students for a hint as he entered the classroom while Lily walked over to a vacant bench.

Sirius caught Remus' eyes and motioned wildly towards the teacher's chair. Remus couldn't help but look at it. From under the chair, a black cat appeared almost as if it was meant to be here. It prowled ahead as if they were prey.  
Remus looked at the cat not knowing what to expect. Was this a test? A punishment for coming late? What was this cat capable of? He widened his stance and braced himself for-something.  
Lily looked just as confused but a stiff shake of head from Catherine Crinkles stopped her from taking her seat. Then, as swift as the wind, something happened and the whole class took in a collective breath.

"Whoa!" Lily said as the black cat that had been prowling suddenly disappeared and at the same spot, stood Professor Mcgonagall peering through her glasses with the iciest stare. Remus took a step back, he looked as if he'd just seen a ghost-or well-something more ghastly than a ghost. His expression was frozen, though his lips moved.

"Professor" he breathed.

"I don't expect first years to start turning up so late for my classes. Discipline should be maintained!" She said sternly walking in a prowling stance just like-the cat that had been here a second ago. Remus frantically searched for the cat and found that he wasn't the only one. Several other students looked in every direction but Lily looked like she had just experienced an epiphany.

"Animagus!" she whispered with a maniacal look in her eyes. All eyes turned to her. Even Professor Mcgonagall looked shocked at what Lily had just said. She said with a smug expression, which in case of Professor Mcgonagall was her usual stone-faced countenance disturbed by a smugly quirked eyebrow,

"Ten points to Gryffindor. May I know where you came across that word, Miss Evans?"

"Well, I was always curious about the truth about fairytales that-" she hesitated to find a word but reluctantly said-"Muggles read to their children...Cinderella being my favorite." She said with a goofy grin and looked around at the gawking faces.  
_Was this how she looked like when something magical came up?_ Lily concentrated on Professor Mcgonagall, who- if Lily didn't know better- looked almost triumphant with her thin lip curled up at the sides.

Feeling the students' eyes analyzing her face Professor Mcgonagall quickly suggested.  
"Oh, let's not mention that silly girl and that witty witch again in our lectures now." She quickly turned to the board where a complicated diagram of a paintbrush had been drawn with another one of a broomstick. She was so keen on overriding the topic that she completely forgot punishing them for coming late. Lily made it a point to remind her-always grown up learning to do the right thing.

"I want you to do this part by part. First the hair, try to convert a hair into a broom-hair . Then the handle, try to convert the round smooth handle of a paintbrush into an edgy handle of a wooden broomstick. And don't forget the small metal ring on the paintbrush. I give you liberty to turn the ring into a beautiful pattern- whatever you may like. The best use of technique shall earn points for their house."  
She clapped her hands to signal a start for them. They began inmediately. Remus and Lily who sat side-by-side frenzied over doing it best, though James and Sirius wanted to do it first.

"Ta-da!" James proclaimed as he pushed up his broomstick for everyone to see. However, he received laughs from every student in the class in place of the applause that he had been expecting. He looked up to see his broomstick hair droop down. It was still soft and thread-like having the texture the same as the hair in the paintbrush.  
He pulled it down quickly and set to work again. Sirius patted him on his back mockingly which James eagerly shaked off.

"Yip!" An excited cry escaped Catherine Crinkles' mouth as she handed her broomstick directly to Professor Mcgonagall not allowing anyone to see, had she to undergo the same experience that James had.  
Professor Mcgonagall tapped the wooden handle and picked at the teeth in the comb with her wand. She traced the intricate flowery design that had earlier been the gold ring.  
She nodded with a polite but short "Good." and handed her the comb brush. The girl was elated but she hung on to the edge of her seat, hoping hers would be the best.  
Soon enough, Lily, who sat next to Catherine had transfigured it into another neatly gothic patterned broomstick. Professor Mcgonagall put her name on the waiting list as well.

Soon enough, a freckled brunette boy named Louis Ogsden had his own criss-cross patterned broomstick followed by Amber Bones, a very reserved Gryffindor, who failed to even smile when Professor Mcgonagall handed her lushly patterned broomstick back with an affirmative nod. When the result time came, however, tables were turned and both the Houses came to an even footing.

"Fifteen points to Hufflepuff, for Catherine Crinkles' use of technique and design." A hurray from Frank and a handshake from Louis prompted a hearty applause from all the students which Catherine graciously accepted.

"And" the students quietened one by one confused by this change of plan.

"Another well designed broomstick with good texture and dimensions" she continued slowly, testing James' patience who started tapping his broomstick on his desk inviting an unnerved look from almost half the class.

"was the one of Lily Evans, Fifteen points to Gryffindor for that." She finished.

Lily yelped excitedly with her sparkling green eyes darting over to Professor Mcgonagall. Catherine shook her neighbor's hand vigorously.

"Congrat-tulations." She uttered in a stuttering accent. Lily beamed and returned the handshake with the same vigour.

"Thanks!" She replied and cocked her head slightly towards Professor Mcgonagall and added

"for what you did earlier too!". Catherine's eyes widened with realization and surprise and she replied politely.

"Anything for a friend." She said.

Lily smiled, her eyes sparkling with pure mirth. The bell rang for the hour and Professor Mcgonagall dismissed the class with a practical homework this time to transfigure shoelaces into .

"Animagus!" James mimicked Lily in an annoying false voice.

They walked to Charms with Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, Sirius clearly ignoring James' antics and Peter in a right bit of sandwich, deciding what to do. For the first two or three days, the James-Lily fights had served a wonderful source of entertainment to Sirius but listening to James bark about nothing else but his nemesis all the time was outright annoying.

James would often enjoy listening to the things the Blacks had taught Sirius. A particular night in the common room, Sirius had demonstrated a disarming spell to James, who saw newfound respect for his fellow mate.  
Sirius found himself getting interested in the 'strange game'-Quidditch (which his parents shunned him from getting too near to) listening to the techniques and careers of the players of James' favorite Quidditch World Cup team-the Wimbourne Wasps.  
However, Sirius soon realized that the only thing at which both boys were equals-in respect of talent as well as passion- was Pranking. So he made a plan-one which he was sure James wouldn't pass.

Sirius had been looking at James who walked ahead of him comically, waving at every student that walked past them leaving them either baffled or shaking their heads. This James was very different from the one he had seen on the first day. Something was fishy. Sirius had a theory very similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

"Something wrong, Sirius?" Sirius' blurred vision sharpened to see James' confused face blinking back into his own. Peter had stopped too and looked from James to Sirius. Sirius looked around to see that they had reached the third floor landing which led to the Charms classroom.

"Uh.." He muttered absent-mindedly finding something to say as he started walking towards the open door through which the light filtered in. The other two boys followed him noiselessly.

"Nothing, just..nothing." Sirius smiled one of his charmers at which Peter looked even more confused if it were possible and James smiled wickedly.

"You've got an idea..." James said tactically as they took their seat in one of the higher benches. He needn't elaborate for Sirius who merely smiled more widely. Peter's brain was about to blast making sense of the smiles that had been exchanged between the two.  
Sirius tried to put him out of his misery by mumbling a "Never mind..I'll tell you later." at which the boy's frown immediately disappeared. Professor Flitwick stood up on his stool and started taking the rollcall as the students chatted excitedly about the upcoming tryouts for the House Quidditch team.

Ludo Bagman, the fifth year Beater was an international champion. The Beater of the Wimbourne Wasps that he was, he had helped Gryffindor win four years in a row painting the Great Hall in red and gold. James had literally done a tapdance out of joy when he had read out the announcement from the notice board.

But his dance had stopped immediately when Lily had loudly announced to Remus that the flying lesson for Gryffindor and Slytherin was due next week whereas the tryouts..

"are this week!" James had exclaimed pulling his black hair out at odd angles as he walked back and forth near the fire in shock.

Sirius could still remember the triumphant smile that had played on the red-headed girl's face seeing the effect of her words. Sirius smiled.

James stopped midway his rant about the best technique used by Ludo Bagman in the semi-finals as the Beater of Wimbourne Wasps.  
Professor Flitwick had finished the rollcall. He rolled up the piece of parchment and took off his reading spectacles.

"Now, class, Today we are going to learn about a few minor spells that will help you. "  
The students had not yet quietened and a group of Hufflepuff girls were giggling about something drawn on a piece of parchment. Professor Flitwick walked up to the group, silencing students on the way. They turned around to see where he was headed. His cloudy fluffy haired head reached the desk of the girls and he pointed his wandtip to the parchment.

"Incendio!" He quirked waving his wand in a candle flame shape. Immediately flames ensued the parchment reducing it to ashes. The girl who sat on the bench looked petrified. Her eyes wide open, she looked from the ashes to Professor Flitwick's face.

Professor Flitwick clapped his hands and exclaimed," Oh goody! Now that I've got your attention.." The tiny Professor skipped up to his stool behind the podium.

"Here's the list of charms I want you to learn today." He waved his wand in a complex manner and in accordance to the motion a list of charms was being scrawled by a chalk on the blackboard.

"Wow..." Frank Longbottom whispered awestruck.

"Turn to page 10 of your books. Team up into groups of two, will you?" He said waving his hand to the students.

Before Lily could fix her desk next to Remus' desk, Sirius moved his desk with a bang right next to his own. Frank Longbottom didn't have his usual partner-Catherine had joined Louis, so he pleaded with Peter, but Peter was sitting next to a timid boy from Ravenclaw. So, a girl named Alice Rivers got pushed with Frank Longbottom.

Before he knew what was happening, James found himself alone... with-

"No!" James groaned disgusted by his situation. Lily made a similar face as she realized that she had to be teammates with the last person she would turn to. She looked hopefully in Catherine's direction but the girl shook her head with a sorry look, gesturing towards Louis Ogsden, her partner. Both the haters reluctantly got their tables together and scowled at each other looking all over the classroom except at each other.

"Alright, so the first one today should be easy. We use it to light up the wandtip with a blue-white glow. It has two adaptations. Now, speak after me, and KEEP YOUR WANDS DOWN..." He said turning to a group of eager first years who had raised their wands. They immediately lowered their wands and looked up at which the tiny Professor continued.

"Lu-mos" he said

"Lyu-moss" Catherine Crinkles said at which Louis shook his head and corrected her.

"Lumos" Lily and James said quickly, competing already.

"Very well now the wand movement is given in your books-trace it with your wands and say Lumos correctly. Go on, now!", He encouraged but his mind seemed to change in split seconds.

He suddenly squeaked practically jumping on his stool to be noticed.

"Wait!"

"The wrong pronouncement or wand movement could set your wand alight and cause permanent damage to your wand so practice correctly to your satisfaction."

Lily waved her wand in an upward spring-like curl and strongly said  
"Lumos!"

Immediately her wandtip lit up a warm blue-white glow emanating from it. She gasped and turned to her right to show Remus the light. She gazed from the globe of light to her partner's eyes and instead of the brown ones she had been expecting it met the jet-black eyes of..James Potter! James who had just curled his wand looked up and curled it another time shouting  
"LUMOS!"

In a second, a blue-white sharp light filled the room. It wasn't only the wandtip that was glowing but the whole wand! His wand-was burning! He left the wand by reflex and it fell to the floor emanating a burnt odour now.

"My,my! I had told you not to!" Professor Flitwick grumbled trotting up to the burning wand.

"Aguamenti!" He flourished his wand and a spurt of water flew out his wandtip, extinguishing the firey wand.

Lily who still had her wandtip glowing was stunned. Sitting next to this boy was like having a timebomb strapped to your heart!

"Now, the countercharm is Nox, to unlit your wandtips." He declared above the whispers and pointed conversations that had burst in the classroom.

"No-one's hurt, as I take it?" Professor Flitwick neared the site of the accident. Lily shook her head quickly as she unlit her wand staring warily at the fallen wand as if it would explode. James picked his wand gingerly and grinned at the petrified expression that Lily gave him.  
He muttered Aguamenti to check if it worked and a clear flow of water soothed Lily's heart atleast a little bit.

"Oh! Looks like you already know the next spell then?" Professor Flitwick clapped from above his podium gesturing towards James. James smiled sheepishly as the first years of all three Houses turned his way.

"Ehehh, hehh..." he jumbled for words.

"Ten points to Gryffindor!" Professor Flitwick cried and his cry was lost in the noise of talk of the students.

"Remind me again, why the Hufflepuffs joint us on this one?" Remus literally shouted aiming towards Lily but she couldn't hear him over the noise and was busy fighting with James about using his damaged wand.  
It was Sirius who answered his query.

"Professor Moody's off for the day so the Slytherins ended up with a free period but the Ravenclaws were too eager to study, so they joined us."

"..Hm." Remus said curtly but couldn't help asking

"So what about our DADA?"

"Free period, maybe, but since we're three houses, maybe they'll hold the flying lesson early.."

"Flying lesson early?!" Remus groaned but his voice successfully reached James ears.

"Flying lesson early?!" He almost jumped off his seat.

Sirius laughed at the contrasting reactions he received. The whole classroom was berserk-two benches ahead of them Frank was entertaining Alice Rivers by flicking his wandtip on and off and changing colors every time. The girl who barely ever spoke was giggling away at his antics. Not far from there, a pair of sincere students, a boy with slick hair named Tyler Abbott and a girl with raven-black hair pulled neatly into a ponytail named Evangelina Avengerly, were reading the next spells from the book and chanting the incantations waving their wand all the while. The girl's wand suddenly spurted out water which wet the whole front of the boy. She laughed at the mess and the boy managed a curt embarassed smile while flipping the book for a drying spell.

"SILENCIO!" The magnified voice of Professor Flitwick sounded. And a second later nobody made a sound but Mr. Filius Flitwick. He muttered the counterspell to undo the magnification of his voice.

"What in the world-" James thought. He tried to laugh but nothing came out. He shouted a voiceless

"AAAA!" and his eyes popped mutely. He looked at Lily but she grinned mischeviously like a cheshire cat. She casually turned to him and said- again mutely- something that looked like  
"Are your ears fine?" She finished by pulling at one of her own ears. The horrified look on James' face gave her even more satisfaction and she grinned devilishly. James looked around at students who like himself,were having the inabililty to hear.

'Have we all turned deaf?!' He thought insanely. But the ragged screeching noise as Professor Flitwick dragged his stool against the stone floor, dismissed his foolish thoughts.

"Now.." The tiny Professor said angrily even though it was almost impossible to imagine him to get so angry.

"I understand that Professor Moody is off for the day yet the Ravenclaw first years were adamant to continue with this lecture." He said, his chest swelling with pride.

"But, if you don't keep your noise level below this..." He dropped a pin on the ground which tinkled to a stop.

"I'm afraid I'll have to talk to Madame Hooch about cancelling your Flying lessons for today."

All the students looked like bulgy-eyed goldfishes opening and closing their mouths really quickly. This threat really reached the students and they got the point. After a few seconds, when the effect of the spell wore off, no-one talked. It was a silence as ominous as it had been in the Transfigurations class earlier.

Professor Filius Flitwick was satisfied with the silence and the rest of the hour was spent in purely chanting the Aguamenti and Spongify incantations and waving the wand in the right manner. Even James, conspicuously the leader of the pranksters, looked earnestly interested in the subject and ended up being one of the first people getting the charms right.

"More to irritate Missy there, than to actually get the charms right." He said pointedly to Sirius who had been eyeing him rather suspiciously throughout the class.

"Oh! And I thought it was for the Flying Lessons." Sirius teased him while Peter sniggered.

"Of course! It was especially because I want to get on the team...Are you coming for the tryouts too?"  
He asked Sirius.

Sirius was sure this was only to change the topic but he couldn't hide his excitement to enter the Quidditch world.

"Sure, the first thing I'll do when I become Beater, will be send a picture for my dear parents. Oh cousin Bella and Narcissa are going to be so mad!" Sirius grinned rubbing his hands like an evil scientist with a devilish plan.

"Narcissa? Narcissa Black?! That dark arts indulger?!" James squaked unable to see Sirius' clenched fists. This is why, maybe, he never mentioned his family other than referring to them as the "pack of Slytherins ". James seemed to sense the animosity in Sirius' steely grey eyes so he turned towards the doors of the castle without a sound as they made their way towards the Quidditch field. Madame Hooch, a pixie cut white blonde haired woman with rosy cheeks, who looked like a Greek warrior wearing an armor-like vest and paddings, was ready with a huge trunk under her foot.  
As they reached the grassy field, they saw rows and rows of brooms aligned in front of the coach.

"Are all of you present here?" She barked which had Lily vaguely remember the stern military generals often portrayed in cinema.  
She was about to whisper this in her sister's ear to giggle with her when she shook her head as she realized where she was...there were probably very few people here who would know what cinema meant. For Lily, their moving pictures had a one up over Muggle cinema.

"Lily" a voice her body had a conditioned reflex to, aroused her from her reverie. She peered under the sweltering sunshine to see Severus' thin lips attempt to smile uncomfortably.

"Severus!" She breathed, and mentally slapped herself to sound so excited. He nodded.

Some rows behind, James yelled,  
"Hey, who invited the snakes?!"

At which, Bellatrix hissed in his ear staring daggers into his eyes. Sirius tensed up as he saw his not-so-beloved cousin sister lick her crooked teeth wickedly but he managed to give James an answer.

"Not a free period then..." He mumbled. An inner voice was boosting his dampening spirits in the meanwhile.

_'Come on! It's just Bellatrix! What's she going to do? Curse you?! Look around you, Sirius. You're probably the smartest and most charming chap in Gryffindor.'_

The voice stopped midway as Sirius eyed Amber Bones, Lily Evans and Remus Lupin.

_'Well..most charming it is... But! when you will beat Bellatrix at flying today, her face will be worth watching!'_ It jumped back on track. And Sirius could feel a smile grow in his face as he turned his face towards Bellatrix for the first time since ages and spoke in the iciest of tones he could manage.

"Hello..Cousin." He spat acidly.

"Well, hellooo Baby Blue!" She said in a mock sweet voice that gave James goosebumps.

James saw Sirius' face and decided that judging the boy's strength and anger he would never call him Baby or Blue unless he had a deathwish.

"Alright then, take your positions one broomstick distance apart. Now place your hand midair above your brooms and command it 'Up!' " she barked instructions like a stern military official.

"Up!" All the first years yelled at once, some brooms-like Madame Hooch's-shot up into the master's hand while some, like Alice Rivers' slowly rose up as if in slow-motion films. She looked really mortified as some snakes sniggered at her but her friend Frank, who stood beside her, made her laugh by the reaction his broom was giving him. It rolled on the level ground but didn't even bother to rise; at which he agitatedly picked up the broom from the ground.

"All right, now, on the count of three push yourself up off the ground." Madame Hooch's commandment reached their ears as she slid one leg over the broomstick as if on a horse's back. The students mirrored her.

"One.."  
All breaths held still and grips tightened.

"Two..."  
A mighty exhale of air from open mouths, blood pumping nervously in their veins, palms and foreheads had begun sweating already.

"Three!"  
Everyone's heart beats and breath speeds reached a maximum as they kicked off the ground in one go...well most of them.

Peter had only kicked himself off enough to prevent his legs from touching the ground. All snakes were busy steadying their ascent to snigger at him, though. Frank had kicked the ground far too hard and had shot up into the air within a split second.

Everyone steadied their brooms to come to a halt and watched Frank turn round and round as he bent to his side to steady himself. It was like watching a bird show...just that except for Madame Hooch, nobody had found out that something was wrong.

Madame Hooch raced after the broom carrying the pudgy boy with blue eyes and everyone just hung midair watching. Something struck Remus and he looked at Lily to find that it had struck her too. He shot round the scene taking a parabolic path which was clearly not a shortcut and Madame Hooch sensed his plan.

Keeping her trail, she shouted to some Slytherins nearby.

"Dartmouth! Flank his left. Mulciber! Shoot from below."

The boys kept their place. Neither moved a muscle.

"Vermins!" Sirius cried and took Dartmouth's place, James followed digging up from below.

This was no race. It was no more a lesson. It was an emergency! Some other teachers had run out to the field though their spells only bounced from the broomstick which shot upwards.  
The four of them were closing in now. They had only just reached the boy when the broom performed a rather astounding feat.

It stopped suddenly-lurching Frank upwards on it's edge-and then started rotating really fast in its place.  
Small objects began whisking off into different directions and the boy's grip slackened. The crowd watched gasping, as James who had been shooting up suddenly started swerving his broom in every direction possible, catching all the things that flew off the broom from the boy's cloak. When the speed knew no bounds, the boy slipped off the stick flailing helplessly falling toward the ground with an increasing velocity.

"Aresto Momentum!" A light shot through the decreasing gap between the boy and the ground and he slowed down touching the ground lightly with his feet. His knees buckled and he fell over getting sick on the ground in front of him.

"Reducto!" Madam Hooch shouted midair and trapped the diminished broomstick in an unbreakable jar. She reached the ground at the same moment that James did. He had his fingers clutching on to some strange objects that had flown off the boy.

"Why in the world would you carry all this?!" He said dropping it on the ground.

"Lucky charms" the boy said dazed and keeled over getting sick all over again. Madame Hooch handed the jar to Professor Mcgonagall who had sent the spell that had cushioned his otherwise horrifying descent.

"I've called Madame Pomfrey. She's on her way with a bed." Professor Mcgonagall said somberly grabbing onto the jar. Sirius and Remus landed softly on the grass, both looking between the fallen boy and the two Professors.  
Sure enough, Madame Pomfrey arrived with a flying bed in front of her. With the help of Alice and Remus, the pudgy boy was loaded onto the bed but before it could be flown out, the queasy-looking boy held up his hand and pleaded.

"No more flying please!"

So, immediately, wheels were attached to his bed and he was rolled out of the field and into the castle.  
Professor Mcgonagall, who was in serious talk with Madame Hooch, nodded and turned to face the landed students.

"Madame, is it fine if I borrow Potter, Lupin and Black?"

"No, not at all." Madame Hooch replied. The three boys followed the House Mistress wordlessly, all the while being stared at by the rest of the first years and ghosts that lurked in the castle, till they reached her office. Professor Mcgonagall sat down on her high-backed chair with her hands spread out like a predator. The three boys looked around bracing themselves, as their Head of House pulled out her spectacles and looked directly at each one of them in turn.

"Firstly, I must say that you had all endangered your lives by flying so irresponsibly. You could have been hurt." She said.

She analyzed each one of them and decided to continue as they kept silent.

"Lupin, you have shown quick thinking and I will award you five points for that." She finally said.  
Remus looked around warily. Was this a test? To check whether he realized his mistake...? There had to be a catch to this.

"However, I will have to deduct five points each for your recklessness."  
James scowled. Sirius didn't look that perturbed, as if this was nothing new to him. Remus just looked down shame-faced at his mud-spletched shoes. He had been right about going downhill alongwith the pranksters as yet...

"But...I couldn't help but notice that you three...were flying very naturally. The Quidditch matches are going to start and as you know we are already holding tryouts..." Professor Mcgonagall said tentatively.

James looked like he was about to burst like some Filibuster Fireworks.

"Ahem" she cleared her throat and finally said what James had dreamt about every night.

"As you know, only second year or higher students can join the House team. But for you three, I could make an exception..Now tomorrow morning around 6, I want all three of you ready for your tryouts. Can you tell me which position you prefer? "

Professor Mcgonagall looked up grabbing a piece of parchment and a dipping a quill in an ink bottle, she wore her spectacles again.

"..Uh..Professor?"

Professor Mcgonagall looked up expecting James to have spoken but it was Remus.

" I don't want to tryout..stcch..I don't really like Quidditch. "  
Professor Mcgonagall looked ready to retort but her expression changed as she looked at Remus more clearly.

"Hmm...Very well, Lupin. You may leave." She said pointedly as she opened the door with a wave of her wand and closed it as swiftly as the brown-haired boy disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6-Beginnings galore

As soon as Professor Mcgonagall signed their names up for Seeker and Beater positions, the boys ran down for Herbology to the greenhouses.

"Professor, May I?" James stood at the doorway with Sirius, both out of breath.

"Hm." Professor Pomona Sprout, a plump woman, said as she sat on the desk of a table in greenhouse one. The greenhouse was covered with huge shelves on every wall, each shelf having a dusty glass case consisting of a specimen stored in some gelatinous fluid.

The two boys made their way to sit with each other but they found two lonely people in the last benches. One was Peter and the other was a dark raven-black haired girl who, as they had noticed, never sat alone. Before James could turn to Peter, Sirius had already taken the vacant seat, grinning at him widely. James shook his head and made his way towards the dark-haired girl.  
The girl didn't bat an eyelid as she was joined by the untidy boy. In fact, she sunk deeper into the 'Herbs and Roots for Beginners' by Ubertha Higgles. Professor Sprout went on about a tuberous root named Gurdyroot.

"Ten points to Gryffindor." Professor Sprout said for the second time as Lily answered a question. But, Lily wasn't dominating this lecture as she usually did. The raven-black haired who sat next to James, among the other Ravenclaws, who the Gryffindors shared the lecture with, answered most of Professor Sprout's questions.

"Urghh!" James droned again.

"Will you stay still for once?" The girl spoke up for the first time as James shifted restlessly in his seat for the nth time.  
"Sorry." James muttered.

In this exchange, they happened to lose the definition that Professor Sprout had just dictated. The girl tapped on a nearby girl's shoulder and asked.  
"Fedora, can you show me your notes for a second?"

The girl made to give her the notes but a really icy glare in their direction from some fellow Ravenclaws made her pull back her parchment. Everyone seemed to sense the animosity between the Ravenclaws and one of their own.  
Professor Sprout halted in her explanation and asked the girl.

"Anything the matter, Miss Walters?"

"No, Professor. Nothing." She promptly replied.

James pulled at Sirius' robe which he easily shook off. James pointed to the neat notes set on his table. Sirius promised him that he'll give them later on and both of them started scrawling down whatever Professor Sprout continued to dictate. At the end of class, the recess bell rang and Professor Sprout dismissed the students with a handful of ingredients to find out and write information about.

"Hey...Walters." James ran behind the girl. He waved a piece of parchment to her. She took it and smiled but immediately said.

"I don't need it. My friends will help me get that lost line."

James was sharper.

"I have the original notes from my friend, here. I won't need this parchment either. Just keep it." He said, with a hearty wink and the girl kept it in her satchel.

"Thankyou..." She held out her hand.

"James." James piped up and shook her hand. She let go of the handshake and bade him goodbye.

James smiled and turned around to face Sirius, who was carrying his satchel alongwith James' satchel. Seeing Sirius' face, James quickly dropped his smile and took his backpack from Sirius' hand. Sirius' next question was unexpected.

"You reckon we'll need brooms to fly in the Quidditch practices?"

James grinned and patted his back as they shuffled towards the Great Hall.

"Don't worry. I've got that covered."

Peter followed the two of them into the Great Hall and to their usual seat.

As they took their usual seat, they turned at the seats where Lily was sitting with Remus.

"Do you figure he'll come back?"  
Peter asked in a tiny voice.

"I think he'll come around.."  
Sirius said dreamily.

"I don't care! He ignored us today also! And what's worse is he said..'I don't really like Quidditch'!" James scowled. The trio soon found much other things to discuss, like the tryouts and the brooms and most importantly-Sirius' plan.

"It's too big a castle...might take us ages..." James said skeptically. Honestly, he had expected it to be much more adventurous, much more dangerous...

"Exactly, but think about it...we'll be legends! And rule no. 1 of The Prankster Handbook says- Know more than your victim. "  
Sirius tried his best.

"The Prankster Handbook?! I want to see it!" James cried ecstatically.

"I will be honored by the teachings of the noble men who pass on the art of Pranking!" James continued dreamily.

"Yes! Well I don't have its copy right now...I'll bring it after the Christmas holidays, 'kay?" Sirius faltered.

"Well, okay and when do you want to do this?" James asked.

"I was thinking tonight might be a good start..." Sirius tried his luck again.

James beamed and said,  
"Tonight it is, then!"

The bell rang and the Gryffindors joint the Ravenclaws and then the Hufflepuffs for History of Magic by Professor Binns and then Astronomy by Professor Sinistra.

"I really wanted her to start immediately with the star-mapping but looks like she wants to get our theory perfect first." Lily grumbled as she introduced Remus to the classroom below the Astronomy Tower at four thirty in the afternoon. As Remus counted it, this was officially his first full day and he was more than eager to end it. He would visit the library first thing and get back to reading with Lily in the library.

Reading with Lily in the library...that was going to be a task! Considering her inability to keep quiet for long.  
However, Remus was pleasantly surprised to find out that the girl liked reading more than talking. The only sounds that disturbed Remus from his world of imagination was the scratching of the quill against the parchment and the hushed whispers of a bunch of Ravenclaws Tyler Abbott and Evangelina Avengerly being a part of them. Also, according to Lily, a new study group-of-two had started capturing the best seats in the library, these two days and that was of Alice Rivers and Frank Longbottom.

After the sumptuous dinner, Remus wished Lily goodnight and settled on the sofa, writing his assignment on History of Magic-the Goblin rebellions. He finally finished it at about midnight. The common room was empty till now and the flames of the fire crackled draping devious shadows on the stone walls and the abandoned desks and seats.

Remus clobbered up and changed into his night clothes in the dark, jumping into bed. He stayed awake for a while thinking about the rogue brooms that might be in this castle's storage endangering students like Frank. He would go to check on him tomorrow, to make sure he was fine. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

* * *

"Wait! Wait!" A muffled whisper silenced the moving legs and rustling clothes.  
Remus was wide awake now. He'd dismissed the voices as his imagination two seconds ago when a creak in the floorboard had awakened him.

He had to check now. He slowly sat up in bed sweating bullets with every creak in the floorboard. He struggled to search his wand and finding it from his bag, he pointed it towards the curtain. With his other hand at the ready, he edged closer to the curtains his mind bursting with ideas of the thing he was about to face and what spell to use.

'Swish' the curtains were pulled open and Remus jumped out of bed, his wand drawn out. If it would have been any other circumstance, Sirius would have been seriously scared. However, the changing expression on the boy's face made Sirius feel like hollering with laughter.

Nothing. Remus stared madly at the thin air in front of him. His eyes frantically searched every corner and gap in the dorm room, but his wand hand slowly relaxed. He could swear it wasn't just nothing but could he trust his senses at this time? Maybe it was just...

James saw the dazed brown haired boy shake his head and sniff the air. He waited for the boy to relax and sleep back into his bed. After a few minutes of his still body breathing peacefully, James removed his hand which had been clasped onto Sirius' mouth. Peter shuddered and was about to squeak a protest but was stopped as Sirius put a finger on his lips-to make him silent. James nodded and opened the door as silently as he could. He looked over to see the sleeping boy before shutting the door very carefully behind him.

They walked on for a really long time stopping even when the portraits acknowledged a presence or the suits of armor shifted noisily attracting Peeves or Filch or Filch's cat. Once, the cat had snuck really close to them and Filch, the caretaker, had asked in a menacingly loud voice  
"What is it, Mrs. Norris? What do you see?" He had looked around greedily when finally, a clang of armors and desks had sent them in an opposite direction, Filch's curses moving distant by the second. When they entered a deserted corridor by climbing up the moving staircases, they entered the first classroom and shut the door behind them before removing the cloak.

"What are we going to do now?!" Peter whimpered gasping as though they'd run a mile.

"Shutup!" Both James and Sirius growled.

"I think this corridor is clear, we can map out places on some paper."

"Here, take this paper." Sirius handed a square piece of old parchment.

"Good." James said asking Sirius for a quill. Sirius didn't hand it over thinking about something all the time.

"I'll do it." Sirius said grabbing the parchment and setting it on one of the desks. He dipped the quill in an ink bottle he furnished from his cloak. Before he could do anything else, he heard sounds and quickly packed in the parchment and ink bottle inside his cloak.

"Are you sure?" A gravelly voice could be made out just outside the door. Sirius and Peter jumped under the Invisibility Cloak next to James shifting into a corner. The door swung open gushing wind into the room.

A tall, cloaked figure entered the room followed by a boy with long golden hair. They entered in single file and the cloaked figure waved one of it's covered hands to shut the door slowly.

"Are you sure it will work, Lucius?"

The boy only nodded while looking down at the ground.

" Isn't it too risky? " The figure insisted. The boy looked up at the figure and then looked into the distance with a faraway look.

" People usually don't notice things which lie right in front of them. "

He said, his gaze going right at the corner where the boys stood and for a second James thought they had been discovered. A shiver ran down his spine as the cloaked figure turned and looked at the same corner.  
" Yes, you're right. "

They heard a clank of armor round the corner of the corridor.

" We must get going " The figure said.

Lucius nodded and followed the figure. The door of the room closed swiftly.

James let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Sirius let out a low whistle.  
"We were surely gonna get fried up this time."

"Shh! Come on!" James gestured towards the door.  
They turned right at the end of the third corridor to find a wreck of armor. Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, were nowhere to be found. Someone had been here.

They quickly hurried towards the Gryffindor common room skipping a step or two in the process. They mumbled the password to the Fat Lady and crawled through the opening. They were about to pull off the cloak when something stirred in the shadows. Sirius and James raised their wands but were relieved when Remus appeared at the door to the dorm rooms.

"Reveal yourself!" Remus shouted, his shout echoing in the Common room. The boy stood adamantly sticking to the door. The three boys paid no heed to this. They advanced towards the sofa near the fire. This would take some time to quieten down. They'd have to wait.

"I know it's you! You're not in your beds now, are you?" He said smiling.

This stopped all three boys in their tracks. Sensing the silence, Remus continued.

"I have put an alarm on every dorm room door. It will set off as soon as I wave my wand and Levitate the rocks off each alarm. Everyone will be down in seconds. You'll have to explain either way." Remus' words echoed again.

James nudged Sirius who shot daggers at him through his steely grey eyes. Peter looked everready to get out from under the cloak. Remus knew he had caught them now and they would have to show up. They couldn't possibly run now!

"What's going on here?" Arthur Weasley's voice could be heard on the other side of the door.

Remus gulped audibly. He'd been too eager to be let in on the secret to realize really how loudly he'd been shouting. He felt a sharp pain in his head and slouched on the floor. He looked up in time to see an invisible wall bang into him. Everything went black. Arthur Weasley's voice was a distant echo before it died out completely.

* * *

"How'd it happen?!" He heard a shriek he knew all too well. He opened his eyes slightly as narrow slits. He saw his mother's brown eyes brimming with tears. His father had clasped a hand tightly on her shoulder so she wouldn't hobble and cry so much.

"He's much better now. He had sustained more bruises as he fell down the stairs...but they were mended in a jiffy. He needed to take Skele-Gro for some time , he's broken a finger bone to crushes and..." Madame Pomfrey's voice trailed off.

"It's n-nothing really." She stammered. Even while pretending to sleep, Remus frowned. Madame Pomfrey surely hadn't comforted his mother. But he had another thing to worry about-fell down stairs, did she say?

Two fine knocks resounded from the door. Hushed voices could be heard from the door. Professor Albus Dumbledore's voice could be heard greeting Madame Pomfrey as she opened the door. The way he neared the bed, Remus started feeling guilty to have caused all this trouble while there was someone out there hiding something maybe dangerous, probably even life-threatening out in the open!

"Mr. and Mrs. Lupin, I apologize for this incident. When I consulted with the staff on your request, I swore to bear responsibility of his well being and...safety in which so far I have failed." The man said with genuine sorrow showing in his voice. Remus couldn't bear it. He respected this man more than any other man, even more than his father. Remus couldn't let Professor Dumbledore feel sorry for his own fault. He had to confess.

Remus sat up in the bed abruptly and all eyes turned to him. His mother laughed hysterically while Madame Pomfrey took a breath of relief and showed proof of the boy's improving health by saying,

"I told you he'll be up in no time. How do you feel dear?"

Remus nodded and decided to speak for his mother's sake.  
"I'm fine. I just slipped and fell down the stairs."

"What made you walk out the door of your dormitory, may I ask?" Professor Mcgonagall asked prudently, speaking for the first time since her entry.

"I heard someone shouting. The Gryffindor Prefect, maybe, and wanted to know what's wrong, I guess, curiosity kills the cat..." Remus stuttered with gaps for breath and to wipe his clammy forehead. He looked up to see whether they had digested his story.  
Everyone except Professor Dumbledore looked atleast fairly convinced. When Remus' brown eyes met Professor Dumbledore's electric blue ones, he felt like he was transparent. He already knew. To his surprise, Professor Dumbledore nodded with a wry smile that curled up the roots of his white moustache.

"Now, Remus you've missed quite a lot of classes. A girl has been turning up every hour with notes. " Madame Pomfrey said handing Remus a thick pile of notes.

"How long was I..." Remus began but Madame Pomfrey beat him to it.

"Half a day because recess is in ten minutes." she said checking the clock on the wall.

"You do have a lot of studies and homework to catch up on, young man. However, feel free to come up to Poppy here for any medical assistance and to talk to me if you have something to say." Professor Dumbledore said, his electric blue eyes analyzing Remus.

"Let's give the boy some rest now, shall we?" Madame Pomfrey who was still a little embarrassed at being called Poppy, suggested everyone in the room.

"Sure. Sure." Professor Mcgonagall said. Remus' parents bid him farewell, his mother wasn't crying now but she hugged Remus very fiercely as if it was the last time she would see him alive.

Everyone except Dumbledore left the room and once Dumbledore was sure no-one could hear he turned to Remus.

"Is there something you have to say, Remus?" He said his eyes poring into Remus.

Remus gave up his internal struggle and blurted all the events of the night. Dumbledore nodded somberly at every pause not making any attempt to stop the narration.

"I will see to it that no such...object is hidden on the grounds of Hogwarts but Remus, I don't want to see you in danger again." He said before walking out of the room, his blue robes swishing behind him.

Remus' head was swirling with thoughts, he knew that Dumbledore would take care of this, but now it seemed impossible to get away from the constant worry or fear of a deadly thing being hidden in Hogwarts, which was supposedly the safest place! He had to do something. And come what may, he would never befriend the pranksters...but for now, a small alliance to search for it together should do it.  
He thought about Professor Dumbledore's request.  
_"I don't want to see you in danger again."_  
Of course! He'd make sure that Professor Dumbledore wouldn't _see_ him in danger again.

A mischievous smile played on Remus' face but it vanished as soon as Madame Pomfrey reappeared at the door of the Medicine room with a huge glass bottle with the word 'Skele-Gro' written across it. Madame Pomfrey held a spoon with the capacity of four teaspoons.

"This is your last dose, drink up!" She said before shoving a spoonful of-

"Eughh!" Remus spat out after gulping the spoonful down his throat.

"Now-now it wasn't so difficult was it? Just another spoonful." She crooned as if feeding a baby some porridge.

Remus quickly downed the rest of the Skele-Gro in the spoon and stood up. Madame Pomfrey took out her wand and murmured an incantation. The wand lit up with a silverish glow and she hovered it all over Remus' body stopping it twice over his right hand index finger. She ticked and signed across a tab named Remus Lupin in her clipboard and discharged him.

Remus ran towards the Great Hall even though he was a minute or two early for the recess bell. The dishes were empty just as yet. The ghosts were zooming here and there, some of them racing each other to the top of the hall. As soon as Remus appeared in the doorway, a lone student, he was hoarded by the Gryffindor ghost who flew right through him at first.

"Playing truant, are we?" He asked with a sinister look.

Remus had forgotten how dedicated each of the House ghosts were towards their respective houses. Thinking along the lines Nearly-Headless Nick was going, he hastily replied.  
"Oh no! I was up in the Hospital area, Madame Pomfrey just happened to dismiss me a few minutes early."

With this, the Gryffindor lowered his sinister gaze and pulled his head off his neck like a hinged door as he said  
"My apologies"

Remus shut his mouth and touched his tongue to the roof of his mouth to stop himself from hurling all over the entrance of the hall and worse-right through Nearly-Headless Nick.  
He nodded vigorously to show that his apology was accepted and only when the ghost flew away did he relax himself and run towards a seat he didn't usually frequent.

James entered the Great Hall beaming as some fellow students asked him about something. Sirius followed the group-shaking his head sheepishly as James boasted on about something-flanked by Peter who walked timidly next to James though in some strange way he looked relieved.  
James sat across the silent boy without noticing anything strange as he was too engrossed in recounting how he had caught the Snitch. Sirius and Peter stopped as they gauged the situation looking from Remus to James with expressions changing from guilty to worried. Peter stooped through the crowd and sat on the other side of James, as he vigorously shook his hand demonstrating the way he tightened his grip on the broomstick as if he were in a hurricane. Sirius nodded and slinked next to Remus, his steely grey eyes focused on James wanting to mentally slap him to stop his antics. He kicked James hard under the table and it had the desired effect.

"Wha-Ow!" He screeched grabbing more attention from the crowd now.

He looked angrily at Sirius, who shifted his gaze toward his neighbor.  
James shifted his own gaze toward the brown-haired boy and as soon as his jet-black eyes met the expectant brown ones of Remus, a jumble of expressions crossed his face-including fear, guilt and shame.

"I'll t-tell you all later!" He said addressing the crowd who looked as though they'd been stung by a bee. When they refused to move, James tried more earnestly,

"Look, I've got to meet up with Professor Moody in about ten minutes... If you have a problem..." This seemed to get the message across.

As the last of them walked away James turned towards Remus and managed to say only three words

"You're fine now."

Remus nodded wishing this could happen faster to get over the awkwardness of the situation.

"We came up to check on you earlier but Madame Pomfrey said you were asleep-she didn't let us in." Sirius said his steel grey eyes now looking molten.

"Yeah" Peter said as though confirming the truth in Sirius' statement.

Remus decided to get to the point.

"Look, I followed you down to that empty classroom last night." He received a shocked response from each of the three.  
He smiled,

"I sleep kind-of-light and once you'd woken me up...I couldn't sleep...so I decided to follow you."

James asked incredulously," You weren't asleep?!"

Sirius cackled and said, "I told you so."

James realized something and said in a dazed way,"So that's how you figured it out!"

Remus looked ready to correct him, "No it's-" he broke midway and amended it to, " Yes, Yes you're right."

"You gave us quite the creeps when you started shouting." Sirius said wide-eyed.

Remus remembered something and fished out a quill from his robe's inner pocket. He handed it to Sirius who looked surprised at finding it from him. Automatically, realization dawned on his face as he looked from the quill to Remus' smug face.

When none of the three spoke up, Remus decided to take the reigns in his hands.

"I knew something was funny the moment I saw the room was unlocked. All the classrooms get locked at curfew time itself, so Filch can catch any wanderers with the help of his cat by running through all the corridors."

James gasped at that and said,  
"Boy and I thought we were the only ones to start exploring the school at night."

Remus shook his head, "I didn't lurk the corridors like you to find this out. I was discharged at that time and..." Remus realized he'd revealed too much when Sirius' next question came up.

"Yeah, what happened to you after the Potions accident?!you weren't even talking to me after you came back!" He said agitatedly.

Remus tried to shake this away and continued with his rant,  
"The cloaked man-do you reckon he wants something to be hidden here? What do you think it is?" He looked expectantly from James to Sirius but it was Peter who squeaked,

"Whatever it is, I want nothing to do with it!"

"Wait, Remus, where were you for half a week? And-" Sirius persisted.

Remus had prepared himself for this. He put his serious expression on and thought about it in his mind.

"We're only drawing an alliance-for a while-till we find the culprit and stop whatever's being planned overnight."

He opened his eyes and was about to speak when Sirius sensed that they weren't really going to get him to answer their questions if they didn't befriend him.

"Maybe you hit your head so hard that you decided to sit next to us rather than Missy over there" James cut Sirius' line of thought.

"Hey!" Remus scowled.

"He's got a point. Why did you start avoiding us ever since the feast? I saved a seat for you!" Sirius scowled now.

Peter didn't seem to have any complaint as he ate his chicken . Seeing him, the others felt their stomachs rumbling. They also started filling their plates hungrily. Remus looked up at the staff table to see all the Professors. His eyes scanned them, Professor Sinistra sipped her juice with a faraway look next to Hagrid who ate his chicken savagely. Professor Slughorn was talking animatedly to Professor Flitwick who clapped or exclaimed at every pause. Professor Mcgonagall sat to the right of Professor Dumbledore in serious talk with him.

Professor Moody sat on the left of him listening seriously but his eyes scanned the students suspiciously. He stopped scanning the students and abruptly started glaring in Remus' direction. Remus felt a shiver go down his spine and immediately looked away, but he still shivered as he felt just the way he did when Dumbledore looked at him-transparent. He knew that Professor Moody was known to be the best Auror of his time but the man never trusted anyone.

_"Are you sure he won't hurt anyone, Albus?"_ The gruff voice echoed in his memory.

Sirius saw the shudder that had just passed and asked Remus after gulping the morsel he'd just put in his mouth.

"Does your head hurt?"

Remus shook his head. Something else was also bothering him.

"How did I fall down the stairs when I was blocking the door to the dorms?" Remus asked quizzically.

"Uh.." James started.

Sirius looked like he had a sock in his mouth. Whatever James was about to say was drowned in the gruff voice that advanced toward the four of them.

"Blocking the door to the dorms?" Professor Moody asked-his wooden leg clunking as he stopped.

Sirius looked at the Professor's wooden leg and looked up to see both eyes sinking into him. Many had wondered about Moody's leg, some had theories, some spread rumors but none other than Moody himself knew how he had lost his right leg. Several students down the table turned in their direction. Professor Moody fumbled and brought out a thick book from an inner coat pocket. He handed it to Remus and shifted closer to the boy bending down to his ear, he whispered.

"Write down a note whenever in trouble." His brownish black eyes gave Remus a meaningful look while the rest of his face remained expressionless. His hair hung untidy over his grazen beard. He looked even more fearsome up close. Remus shuddered but kept the book inside his satchel. Professor Moody patted his back twice before turning to exit the hall.

The rest of the recess was spent quietly chomping on the delicious food.

Finally, when they got up to go for Charms with Hufflepuff, Lily barred the way.

"I heard that you hit your head, Remus. Now, I think this confirms it." She said, jerking her head towards his companions. Her green eyes didn't meet Remus' eyes as she darted in the opposite direction.

He had completely forgotten about Lily!  
Now he would have to make amendments to his plan.


	7. Chapter 7-Revelations and Alliances

"The goblins encircled the mountain in huge numbers attacking the defences of the majestic fort. The shields were very strong but repititive attacks from exceptionally crafted swords and arrow bunches were weakening the magical defences. On the other side of the shield, the wizards and witches stood with wands ready. Their wands were perhaps the only weapon which the goblins didn't have. " Professor Binns' voice drawled throughout the silent class.

"Professor?" Lily raised her hand, disturbing her neighbours from their stupor.

"Yes, Miss Evans?" Professor Binns asked, irritability showing prominently in his otherwise expressionless monotonous voice.

"What is an arrow bunch?"  
She asked and invited a few headshakes from the few students who hadn't yet been affected by Professor Binns' voice. Lily accounted this absence of common,knowledge to her muggle life.

"Arrow bunches or speare-compactum are groups of arrows tainted to seriously paralyze or kill the person on mere contact. The important feature of these arrow- bunches is the fact that they burst into seperate arrows at appropriate distance which track the enemy warriors to attack them."  
Professor Binns explained as Lily, Remus, Amber Bones and another group of Ravenclaw students jotted down in their notes.

"Speare-Compactum" Sirius whispered. James, who was sitting next to him, turned to face the boy and scowled in a garbled voice.

"I thought you were taking notes!"  
Sirius eyed his empty desk and glared at James before saying,  
"I'll take them later!"  
James gave him a confused shrug and lowered his head again, gazing dazedly at the ghost of his Professor.

"What other magical weapons could be used against the goblins, Professor?" Lily mused aloud.  
Professor Binns looked rather flattered at the girl's undying interest.

"Well, there are a number of weapons which can be used against goblins, who, as yet remain a non-magical species...mainly those involving magic which is based on enchantments and spells and not runes or potions. You see there's a fine line between the two forms- one requires trained wizards' or witches' skills throughout but the other, sadly, can be manipulated."

"Manipulated? What do you mean?! Goblins can perform magic?!" James hollered standing up in his place. It wasn't just him though. Quite a lot of sleepyheads looked alert all of a sudden.

"Sir?" James added hastily.  
Professor Binns narrowed his eyes and stood up from his seat. He walked around the students speaking all the while.

"Goblins can wield weapons having marvelous powers. Each weapon they make has a signature, the creator's signature. This will be explained later on-in Ancient Runes. As of now, you must know that many antique masterpieces have been created by the goblins, one of them being the sword of Gryffindor."

He paused eloquently searching the faces of the students for a sign-any sign of recognition.

"The sword of Gryffindor..." Lily repeated and Professor Binns' eyes latched onto the eager student.

"What do you know about the sword of Gryffindor?" He asked expectantly.

"It's the sword belonging to Godric Gryffindor..it is said that the sword presents itself to a true Gryffindor when needed. Its source however is unknown...how are you so sure it is a goblin's creation Professor?"  
She said it very fast and had to calm herself to take in his reply.

The Professor looked like he was on the verge of divulging the secret but with whispers of " Can you believe it.." "sword of Gryffindor" "Professor Binns has seen it..." travelling to his ears, he decided otherwise.

"Ten points to Gryffindor! Now lets proceed." Professor Binns proclaimed.

"But..Professor! Can weapons be tainted with magic? Can runes be the reason behind rogue objects?"  
Lily almost begged for an answer completely oblivious to the fact that she had just won Gryffindor points-something she held great pride in.

Professor Binns looked expressionlessly into Lily's eyes and turned back to the class. He cleared his throat and voiced strongly  
"No more questions."

With that, he continued with a droning description of another goblin rebellion as the students discussed the revelation excitedly. Professor Binns was more than satisfied to have a more active audience, though not completely attentive.  
He had been teaching since a very long time to know that it was better for his students to be disinterested rather than pertinent in getting their questions answered. He had been in trouble once when he divulged important information unknowingly to a bunch of inquisitive teenagers.

"An essay on Goblin rebellions in the last century, its causes and effects due Wednesday." He ordered before leaving the classroom. The class bustled out in twos and threes departing in different directions.

"Lily" a voice stopped the girl in her tracks. But she did not turn around.  
"I have already told you, Remus, you chose your friends and I chose mine." She replied tartly without a blink.

"Lily, listen." He turned the girl around to face him.

She crossed her arms and looked away but made no effort to walk away.

Sensing that it was his cue, Remus let away the pleading voice which he was always so uncomfortable with. He spoke in a serious matter-of-fact low voice.

"You know about the rogue broom as much as I do." He started and his hopes shot up as he noticed an interested side gaze from his friend.

"You have got to help me." Remus blurted reluctantly.

"Ask your chums for help- you've become a part of them, haven't you-the Pranksters?" She shook off his hands from her shoulders.

Remus sighed. This wasn't turning out the way he had thought.

"Listen, they are all mere fools but i need your intelligence right now, I need-you." He praised her, knowing how weak praise got her.

"...and I am sure you might have figured out I've befriended the three of them for no other reason but to solve this mystery." He continued.

"You think they are helpful?!" She scoffed.

"In different ways..." Remus admitted.

He didn't want to elaborate on the topic here, right now in the front of the History of Magic classroom. The Slytherins might be coming up any moment and he didn't want to be caught talking to Lily by Severus, knowing how much the silent boy hated him. Remus didn't need a Slytherin wishing him any more problems than what he was already dealing with.

"Come on, or we'll be late for Charms." Lily pulled him by his hand walking along the corridor. He jerked it off easily and ran behind her, smiling -that was one problem solved.

They were just in time as they entered the classroom.

"That's my seat!" Lily shouted approaching the first bench which was just being occupied by none other than James Potter.

"Choose another one for once, you don't reserve seats out here, you know!" James scowled back at her standing up in his place.

"But, it's my place! You sit out there" she pointed at the bench diagonally behind the first bench.

"Well, you don't get to choose where I sit! Tell her, Remus!" James said turning to the brown-haired boy.

"Huh?...uh.." Remus mumbled. This was definitely not a comfortable position.

"Yeah, Tell me Remus!" Lily said in a false whiny voice and glared at Remus, daring to strike lightning if he said a word in the lousy boy's defence.

Remus ran out of the scene and sat in the nearest empty seat, next to Sirius. Sirius grinned and looked expectantly at the pair of quarreling idiots, knowing that the Professor was standing right behind them.

"You are not allowed to sit here!" James tried more desperately marking an invisible X on the chair next to his own.

"Yes, I am!" Lily shouted back. Her face had turned red and Remus was sure he could have seen steam floating out from her ears if she hadn't blocked them out completely by her hair.  
She dropped herself in the chair crossly and took it up as a challenge to oppose whatever came out of the thickheaded boy's mouth.

"Now, if the tussle has ended, shall we begin?" A small voice surprised the three of them. Professor Flitwick pushed his way to the front of the class and climbed up the stool.

The three of them realised that they had attracted each and every Gryffindor's and Hufflepuff's attention towards themselves. Peter hid his face in the crowd as if ashamed of being acquainted with James.

James hung his head low and his shoulders slumped throughout rollcall while Sirius sniggered pesteringly poking him with jibes like "You are not allowed to slouch in class!" Or " You don't get to choose where I write!" directed to Remus who was fighting terribly with his urge to laugh or at the very least, smile.

Lily looked straight ahead at the board waiting for something to make her busy. A sea of fury had been set free inside of her and she felt that if she went to talk to James, it would burst out uncontrolled. She reminded herself of the points she had earned her house, like Professor Mcgonagall had mentioned. She barred herself from acting wildly, by imagining Professor Mcgonagall's face when she ended up in detention with a loss of about fifty points leading to Gryffindor's defeat in the race for the House Cup.

"Class, since we're a little faster than the other two houses..we have a free period."  
Professor Flitwick said peering above the heads to a row of boxes arranged at the back.

"Yayy!" James shouted alongwith some other zealous students. Everyone entered a state of frenzy. They got up and began pushing their books back into their satchels talking, laughing as though there was no Professor in the class.  
A sharp whistle caught their attention. Professor Flitwick waved at them to settle down.

"Now each of you have been given a mystery trunk...your aim is to find out its significance in the least time. The student who succeeds in doing so will earn fifty points for their House and this..." He took out a pouch with a metal clasp from his robes. He opened the clasp and removed an oval object-something that shone.

"This here is an exclusive find. No such mirrors have yet pervaded Diagon Alley. It is called a Communication Mirror. And as you can infer, it is a pair." He slipped another similar mirror out of the pouch.

"Whoa!" The class drew in a collective breath. Every eye had a glint of desire-the desire to get their hands on the pair.

"Professor, is this a test?" Lily asked flatly.

Professor Flitwick flung at the air and knitted his eyebrows before continuing with his instructions, completely ignoring Lily's question.

"What was I saying? Ah, yes! Now stand in front of a trunk, all of you. All in two rows, come on!" He swished his wand and immediately all the desks and chairs floated to be tipped against the stone walls. Everyone had a box to themself.

"Wands at the ready? Begin!" Professor Flitwick flourished his hands.

"It's locked!" Frank yanked the lid of the trunk hard to open it...with no success.

"Individual effort please, no hinting around.", Professor Flitwick shushed Frank and told the class.

"Individual effort,of course, with all of us shouting out incantations?" Sirius whispered only enough for Remus and Peter to hear. Peter sniggered right on cue but Remus rolled his eyes.

"Alohamora" Lily whispered and swirled her wand in a wave like formation. The trunk clicked and she pushed her hand forward excited to open the lid.

"Bombarda!" James yelled and the trunk next to hers blasted open with a gaping hole in a place. His face had blackened and the hair in the front had singed off.

"What in the WORLD is WrOnG with you?!" Lily yelled at him.

"Reparo" Professor Flitwick murmured and the trunk was back to normal.

He sighed and turned to face the class to stop the exercise but an excited "Sir?" from behind him stopped the action.

"Specialius Revelio." Sirius murmured and the open trunk glowed and the pair of mirrors appeared in the bottom of the trunk. As Sirius bent to reach the mirrors he felt like he was falling into a huge pit.  
He lifted himself from the trunk and gasped,  
"It's an enlargement spell to the insides of the trunk!"

"That's right! Fifty points to Gryffindor!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed handing him the mirrors.

Everything went downhill that class onwards. Every time Remus tried to catch up with Lily, he would be glared at by Severus or she would have found another partner from Ravenclaw, the girl named Gloria Walters, who to Lily's dismay was very friendly to James and offered him a place in their team when Professor Mcgonagall mentioned a project.

Finally, after the day's Classes were over, the first years spilled out on to the grounds as the sun shone warmly. The four of them had decided to visit Hagrid, the groundskeeper and James' parents' friend.

Hagrid welcomed them all and Fang the boarhound licked them all hello finally propping his head on Sirius' lap drooling down his robes. Remus looked all around Hagrid's house from the crackling hearth to the huge boarhound.

"I had dropped a bag full of goodies in the Black Lake on the first night, and yeh noe wat I got back?" Hagrid said handing them each a mug of butterbeer.

"Nothing."

"The Giant Squid ate it all up? So it isn't a meat-eater?", James cackled.

"Yeh can be sure o' dat. Poor Squid. Noone to take care o' him underwater." Hagrid patted James on the back and James fell over. Everyone started laughing.

"Yeh wer as small as my hand when I last saw yeh!" Hagrid said opening up his palm which was as huge as a dustbin pan.

"How's yer mum n dad doing?" He asked.

"Mum's fine and dad's still acting like mum's pet." James said.

"Hahhahh..ahh- yeh know yer father was much like yeh when he was yer age..and..don't tell him I told yeh this but earlier he would never listen to yer mum!" Hagrid roared with laughter as the others followed suit.

"Hagrid, did I introduce you to my gang- This is Sirius, Remus and Peter. All Gryffindors."

"Pleased to meet you all." Hagrid shook all their hands in order and stopped a second while he held Remus' hand

"How're you feeling there, Remus?"  
All heads turned to the lanky boy who had frozen over. He recovered and replied to the giant.

"I'm fine, Mum says she might recover from her condition soon.." He said hinting at the giant.

Hagrid looked at the five faces around him and nodded solemnly

"Of course. Send my regards to her and yer dad."

Sirius looked on from Remus to Hagrid suspiciously.

"Hagrid, what are the Knights of Walpurgis?" Peter asked, picking up a crumpled newspaper cutting.

"Give that here!" Hagrid reprimanded but James had already snatched it out of the plump boy's hand.

"It says here, they are led by Lord Voldemort.."

"Don't say the name!" Hagrid shouted as he headed for the timid boy.

Remus snatched it from James hand and leaned towards Hagrid trying to reach the giant's hand. Civilised or not, nobody in their right mind would want to make a giant angry.

"Hey, wait!" Sirius scowled snatching the cutout from Remus' hand cleanly.

"The Dark Lord, as the Knights of Walpurgis, call their leader had proclaimed war against the Ministry last year. This led to the majority of the Knights' imprisonment. However, some of the Knights remain at large."

Hagrid snatched it out of Sirius' hand at that moment. Sirius backed into a wall and fell to his knees. Hagrid threw the piece of paper into the fire and held out his huge hand for Sirius.

"Uh...Thanks..." Sirius mumbled as he took Hagrid's hand. Hagrid looked at the four of them before closing the door behind them.

"You shouldn't have made him angry!" Remus scolded Sirius as the four of them returned to the castle in the dusk.

"Yeah, we could've asked him more about it." James scowled banging his fist into his open hand.

"He never would've told us, they've been checking the Daily Prophets and even the letters and packages. Why do you think Dumbledore has shot curfew time earlier?" Sirius explained.

"But if something was endangering our lives, they would surely tell us!" Remus stopped in his tracks.

"Exactly, they aren't sure about the situation..and they don't want to cause premature panic."

Sirius turned around to expect Remus to be speaking, but was dumbfounded to see James. He raised his eyebrows.  
"Since when did you...never mind." Sirius said and shook his head, starting to walk again.

"You mean there's a war about to happen?!" Peter spoke up for the first time.

"The Knights have already proclaimed war, last year! For all we know, they might already have begun fighting..." Remus mused.

"What do the Knights want?" James asked.

"To overcome the Ministry, maybe, or Hogwarts...Oh!" Sirius smacked his forehead.

He looked with bulging eyes towards the rest. All except Peter seemed to have understood the same thing at the same time.  
They ran up through the castle doors and into the Great Hall for the feast. The hall was already filled with students and as they took their seats, Professor Dumbledore stood up to address them before the feast.

* * *

Lily had just returned from the Library where she had been finishing the week's homework alongwith Severus. She had missed studying with Remus, where she could talk openly about anything. Lately, Severus had become very distant. He would not talk as openly as he had earlier. It was as if he was friends with Lily only for the sake of old times.

Lily was passing a few doors of dormitories as she climbed down the stairs. All the doors were locked and bolted. She must be late for the feast. She quickened her pace. Suddenly she heard a sobbing sound coming from behind a dorm room. She halted and read the dorm room number. It was number 20-Molly's room. Lily edged closer and knocked on the door. The sniffing sounds stopped and Molly's weak voice could be heard now.

"Who is it?"

"Molly, it's me-Lily. The first year..." Lily said, not sure if she still remembered her. This was the first time since the feast that she had even heard Molly's voice.

The door opened and Molly's tear strewn face appeared in front of her. For a moment both the girls stood looking at each other not knowing what to do, then Molly went inside the room keeping the door open.

Lily walked into the room slowly. She closed the door behind her. The hearth in the centre of the four beds had a chair drawn next to it and on the chair lay a letter. Molly went ahead and picked up the letter. She handed the letter to Lily as she crumpled into the chair drawing her blanket around her sobbing uncontrollably.

Lily held the letter in the flickering light provided by the flame. About two-thirds of the page was filled with slanting, loopy words.

"Dear Molly Fairweather,

It hurts me to notify you about the mass killing that took place in Southern France on the date October 29, 1971. The Ministry of Magic is currently

looking into the matter. A total of 148 witches and wizards have been victims of the killing spell. The culprits behind the mysterious

deaths have yet not been tracked. However, I am very sorry to notify that among the casualties, those of Mr. and Mrs. Fairweather

have been found to take place. The Hogwarts Express is set to leave tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. to leave for your homes.

With condolences, Professor Dumbledore."

Lily looked up to see Molly sobbing heavily in her chair. She instinctively ran out to her and hugged her. The tears which had welled up broke free and they soaked into Lily's robes. She didn't let go, however. All the confidence and fierceness Lily had witnessed on the first night had vanished and Molly was as weak as a little girl.

She finally let go of Lily and wiped her face, managing a wry smile as she said

"Thank you, Lily. You missed your dinner for me."

"I'm sure you would have done it too." Lily replied, smiling.

"Mom kept telling me..to take care..to be safe...because of the-the Dark Lord and all the Knights..my father was surprised when I told him that Dumbledore hadn't uttered a word about it in the welcoming speech."  
Molly said dreamily wiping a few more fresh tears away.

"The Dark Lord?" Lily asked.  
Molly looked at Lily as though she was being stupid but then an expression of realisation was painted on her face as she said.

"Nobody's told you...about the...Knights of Walpurgis?" Molly searched for a sign of recognition to the term in Lily's face. She sighed and stood up to face the window with her back to Lily.

"The Knights of Walpurgis is an association of some Dark Arts practitioners lead by The Dark Lord. This association believes in the ideals of Salazar Slytherin. One. Only purebloods those born from magical parents are worthy of learning magic or even being a part of the magical community. Two. House elves and goblins and other magical creatures are inferior to wizards and witches."

"Isn't that too orthodox?" Lily asked.

"Yes. Orthodox it is. Because Slytherin's heir Tom Riddle is its leader. Tom Riddle is also known as Lord Voldemort or The Dark Lord. His name is a taboo. You must not name him."

"Why are you telling me all this?"  
Lily asked suddenly.

Molly turned to face her.

"Because I know you are responsible enough to not do something dangerous or unsafe. Right now, Lily, I think even Hogwarts isn't that safe. I want you to promise me that you won't get into trouble." Molly held out her hand.

Lily put her hand in hers and nodded.

Molly sighed and let go.

At that moment a tiny voice could be heard saying, 'Engorgio' and in a split second a tiny bug like creature enlarged to take the form of a boy on a broomstick.

"Arthur!" Molly exclaimed and looked at the boy.

Lily screamed but mid-scream Molly had silenced her with the same charm Professor Flitwick had used. Lily gestured wildly towards the boy who turned out to be the Gryffindor Prefect.

"I didn't know you had company!" Arthur scowled.

Molly turned to Arthur to shush him and then to Lily.

"Lily, Listen he's a human meaning no harm to us. Please don't scream. "

Lily felt the spell wear off and voiced her first question.

"How are you here?"

Molly explained the trick to her.

"Now, remember there's an anti-boy mechanism to the stairs. They turn into a slide. But that's only if you step on the stairs. So one night, Arthur got on his broomstick and advanced to the door but the door was too small for him on a broomstick, to neither touch the walls nor floor of the corridor. So he shrunk himself using his wand and entered my room through the keyhole and on entering it, enlarged himself with the wand..."

"That's brilliant!" Lily gaped at Arthur.

"Well, thanks." Arthur bowed politely.

"...but it's against the rules!" Lily continued.

"Yes..but.." Arthur stuttered.

"..and you're the Prefect!" Lily almost screamed.

"Yes..I know..but..Molly is my friend. She needs me sometimes and I can't be with her around people..." Arthur began explaining.  
"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because people think we shouldn't be friends..." Molly answered.

"Oh.." Lily said quietly. Vaguely, she felt she empathised with these friends.

"Don't you have any friend that people don't think you should be friends with..?" Arthur tried.

"Yes, but he's in Slytherin...Why would people not want you both to be friends?"  
Lily asked.

"Why don't I tell you about it later?" Molly promised. Lily nodded and reached for the door.

"Lily, Promise you won't tell anyone?" Arthur asked.  
"I promise" Lily said grinning and she left the room to run down the steps.

Lily knew just the right person to ask about the Knights to...but, maybe he won't answer. Maybe he'll push it away. Lily slowed down and stood near the opening deciding what she should do. She made up her mind and went back to the couch in the Common Room to sit and mull things over.

Lily was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the portrait opening as students filed in. She turned around to see Arthur lead the Gryffindors. Arthur gave her a friendly nod, which she returned and soon Lily caught the person she had been waiting for.

"Remus" Lily called out to the lanky boy who was in conversation with the Pranksters. He looked up and walked towards her.

"Where were you in the feast?" Remus asked.

"I've found out about something. Come here." She said pointing at a secluded corner.

The three boys sat on the couch suspiciously watching the two from there.

Remus finally arrived at the couch after he bade Lily farewell. He had a strange smile on his face which creeped Sirius out of his brain.

"So..what was that about?" It was James asking the question first.

"Nothing. She...uh..wanted to tell me something about Transfiguration." Remus replied casually.

"Then why didn't she tell you about it right here?" Sirius asked, one eyebrow up, as he stared at the crackling fire.

"She...didn't want you to hear it. She doesn't want you to score in the project."

"But I'm in the same team as her!..why would she tell you instead of me?" James asked persistently.

"Maybe because she hates you?" Sirius answered grinning mischievously.

James expression turned from angry to irritable and from irritable to casual within split seconds.

"Oh, then it's fine. Tell her I hate her much more than she hates me." James joked and laughed stupidly. Sirius laughed loudly and heartily at that.

"That's all great but what about our plan?" Remus asked somberly.  
All three boys lost their casual stances and sat straight-backed in their seat.

They looked around to find that only a few students were sitting on the desks far away from where they were sitting.  
"Now, Lucius Malfoy appears with the cloaked man..who can be a part of the Knights of Walpurgis."

"But, how did he enter Hogwarts undetected?"

"The same way prisoners escape from Azkaban. Through Secret Passages."

"But we don't even know where they are.."

"That doesn't matter right now..they were talking about hiding something in Hogwarts."

"What would someone hide in here to bring a schoolful of people down...?"

"They said it was in an obvious place... The Great Hall?"

"Yeah, James, it could be the Great Hall..."

"No, this is a very specific riddle, it's not meant to be too obvious for us, it's for Professor Dumbledore..."

"Like in his office?"

"Maybe, depends on the object..."

"Ughh...we're getting nowhere...I'm telling you it's all related to that Dark Lord. He's the one behind it. But, whom can we ask?" Sirius pulled at his hair.

"I know someone who might know what we don't..." Remus said delicately.

"Who..Professor Dumbledore?" James joked.

"Lily Evans." Remus stated plainly.

James and Sirius looked at each other and hollered like fools holding their stomachs. Sirius fell off the couch and pulled James down and they both started laughing even loudly.

"Stop it." Remus cried.

The two of them slowed their frenzy not daring to look at each other to risk getting into another holler.  
They looked around the Common Room. They were alone now, the desks and couch were empty.

"I mean it." Remus said tightly.

Sirius quietened completely. James, however, wasn't done with the joke.

"She didn't even know what a dungbomb was!" James cried expecting Sirius to laugh at his joke. But when nobody laughed, he sobered himself and said.

"How are you so sure?"

"That's what she was telling me about..the Knights of Walpurgis..the Dark Lord, she knows it all...and more."

"Not more than you, she doesn't." James said indignantly.

"We're gonna have to add her in the group." Remus stated.

"I thought we were an all-boy group..I'd even thought about a name...the Pranksters!"James said desperately.

"The Pranksters...not a bad idea...but Remus isn't much of a Prankster is he?" Sirius said.

" But, give it a rest, James." Sirius said.

"Remus here has all the ideas and Lily will be our walking talking library." He continued.

James didn't seem to come up with any remark for Sirius' straightforward comment.

"But, that makes us five and you already know, we all can't fit in the Cloak." James said skeptically.

"Peter, you've been complaining about these trips since day one. If you want out, you can do it right now." Remus said seriously.

"Yeah...but.." Peter mumbled weakly.

"What we're about to do is go against the school rules, run the risk of being expelled, in this case, I think even that of dying.." Sirius counted on his fingers.

"Okay! I'm out!" Peter stood up from his place.

Sirius sniggered and whispered "Wimp!" under his voice.

"Yeah, but that unconditionally means that you maintain our secrets and do not rat us out to anyone.." Remus continued.

"..Or Else..." Sirius waggled a finger and grinned as the plump boy gulped and nodded.

"All right, then. Good night!" Sirius said cheerily.  
They looked at Peter until he had closed the door behind him.

"I feel very bad.." Remus admitted.

"Don't. Please." A voice said as the girls dormitory door closed. It was Lily.

Sirius grinned as he saw James visibly tense up at her approach.

"Hello..I'm Sirius Black and this here is James Potter." He bowed to Lily and put on his most charming smile.

"I know who you two are!" She scowled.

"Now, listen. Rule no. 1- No scuffles among us." Remus said, glaring at each of them in turn.

"Out there, we forget our enmities..." He repeated, glaring at Lily and James.

"Yeah okay okay,Now...what's the plan?" James asked eagerly.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks for following this story: Inkram Sensun, TiffOdair, Will2Meaning, avengerlover, futureauthor62, kunoichi and maybewesortoosoon Sorry **

**I haven't updated for weeks! But the plot itself is too tricky, I have to let the story flow and make sure the details fit perfectly. Thank you for **

**your support, and yes Guest, Even I love Sirius. I've put in a few more of 'Sirius' moments in this one. I know this chap's too short as compared**

** to the last one...but I think I'll break into smaller chapters rather than long ones, now onwards. Phew! I'm blabbing. See you at the next update.**

** Reviews are always welcome.**


	8. Chapter 8-Tidings at Night

"Keep your leg to yourselves!" Lily whispered angrily.

"Sorry" James whispered back.

"Won't want both the brains on one team and none on the other, he said." Lily mumbled angrily for the fifth time since the time they had split into different directions.

"Sirius had a point y'noe..." James mumbled.

"Ooh why did I even agree to come! I'm gonna get back at Remus for this." She clenched her fists.

"Hey, if you ought to know, it isn't in my first interest either, to be lurking the corridors under the Invisibility Cloak with you!" James gagged trying to show his disgust.

A low gurgle of voices alerted them. They had been fighting with each other so attentively they hadn't seen how far they'd walked. It looked like they were below the dungeons- the Common Room of the Slytherins. There were no windows here and the musty darkness was interrupted by the flames hanging from the walls. At the end of the corridor was a single door which was being guarded by Filch and his cat. The sneering caretaker sat on a rickety chair stroking Mrs. Norris as she lay on his lap.

The cat perched her ear up as she sensed a disturbance from their direction.

"What is it, Mrs. Norris?" Filch said looking in the same direction.

Suddenly a huge form walked out of the shadows in front of the two. Filch immediately got up and waved his lantern in front of him.

"Who is it?" He sneered loudly into the darkness.

The huge man pushed Filch into the door causing an upsurge in the voices behind the door. In the push, Filch's fingers slipped out of the lantern's ring and it broke as it fell down.

"Oh..Professor, it is you." Filch steadied himself and said.

"What's going on here, Filch?" A gruff voice asked which could be unmistakably recognized as Professor Moody.

"Professor Dumbledore told me to guard the door, Sir."

"Is that so? Well, then come here-I have found some students loitering."

Professor Moody caught Filch across his shoulders and advanced toward the spot that James and Lily hadn't moved from. As the Professor passed the duo, in the flame's flickering light, Lily caught sight of his face. It was scarred and wounded with deep gashes and he had a deeper fleshy gash near his right eye- which was replaced by- a plastic eye which was swiveling round and round, back and forth madly. "Whoa" Lily free in a sharp breath but James covered her mouth to stop her from screaming. The mad eye looked straight at them before Professor Moody advanced past them into the darkness behind them.

"He's heading him to Sirius and Remus!" James realized and turned towards the direction they had come from.

"No, wait!" Lily pulled his hand. "We have to find out what's behind this door...why it was being patrolled by Filch." She reasoned.

James nodded and both of them advanced towards the door.

"Alohamora" Lily whispered as she waved her wand and the door clicked.

She pushed it wide open and stepped into the room beyond.

There was dull lighting here but it was a huge hall filled with murmurs signifying large number of people. Lily gasped as she saw the seven desks at the far end. At each desk, a cloaked man sat with a wand. Each desk had a line of students waiting. Mostly Slytherins, but some Gryffindors and Ravenclaws could also be seen. Every student from first year to seventh year was waiting for a wand wave and with a glowing green light they had a grotesque black skull drawn onto their left forehands. The students who had finished were waiting in lines near the door talking excitedly. As Lily and James entered the room, they missed bumping into one of them closely.

"Who opened the door? Where's Filch?" Lucius Malfoy strutted to the door walking right past them and shut the door cursing the two Slytherins guarding the door.

"What's going on here?!" James whispered to Lily who looked just as horrified as he was.

"The Death Eater Army's recruiting. That's what is happening." A first year Slytherin right in front of James shook his head disapprovingly to his fellow Slytherin. The pudgy boy James recognized to be Mulciber and the one who had answered was, Avery.

"Severus?" Lily gasped as she saw her friend waiting in the line meant for first years just ahead of the boy named Avery. Sure enough, there stood the greasy haired boy quiet and looking very uncomfortable in this place. The boy named Avery patted Severus' back and muttered.

"It's alright, they won't mind recruiting half-bloods. In fact, they don't seem to mind Gryffindors as well!" Avery smiled wickedly.

To both Lily's and Avery's surprise, however, Severus started filing out of line, pushing through the people who gave him hideous glares.

"Ah, Severus, have you gotten marked yet?" Lucius greeted him at the door placing an arm on his shoulder.

"No. I just need to go to the bathroom." Severus said curtly.

"Very well. I'll tell Avery to save you a place." Lucius smiled. Severus nodded.

Severus opened the door wide and kept it open by his hand.

"Where's Filch?" He asked Lucius. Lucius shook his head making all of his waterfall-like golden hair to ripple.

"Not the faintest idea. Make sure you don't run into any Professors on the way." Lucius suggested before pushing the door shut.

James and Lily had followed Severus out of the room thinking that he had sensed their presence. He started walking down the corridor blankly. Left with no other option, the two of them followed him at arm's length. He turned at a few corners and finally reached a dead end. He turned around and raised his wand aiming at where he had heard movement last.

"Levicorpus!" he shouted and his shout echoed in the empty corridor. James felt himself lifting into the air. The Invisibility Cloak was swigged off Lily and she was visible immediately. Then suddenly James felt himself turn upside down midair and he touched his tongue to the roof of his mouth to stop himself from puking. The Invisibility Cloak slipped off of him and fell to a heap on the stone floor below him.

"You shouldn't have come here." Severus said to Lily.

"What is going ON Severus? You haven't told me about this. You've been hanging around with those rascals Avery and Mulciber! And now THIS?!" Lily shouted.

"Lily, I...wanted to tell you but they won't let me..." Severus said in a pained voice.

"What are they making you do, Severus?" Lily asked in a similar pained voice. The boy frowned and then shook his head making his face expressionless.

"You shouldn't have come here!" He said monotonously. Lily took a step toward him but Severus raised his other hand signaling her to stop.

"Well, gee, this all is real touchy and all but my stomach won't be able to hold on any longer." James yelled.

"What are you doing here, Lily, with HIM?!" Severus shouted pointing at the upside-down James.

"I could be asking you the same darn thing, Snivellus, what are you doing down here with Lucius Malfoy acting like he is best buddies with you?" James yelled.

Neither Lily nor Severus said anything. They only looked into each other's eyes silently conversing. Then, suddenly, Severus muttered the countercurse and James fell on the floor in a crumpled heap. If Sirius would've been here he would've roared with laughter.

SIRIUS! James stood up and dusted himself. He gathered the Cloak and said in a hurry. "Well, we would've loved to stay but we have to run..." James said and grabbed Lily around her wrist. Severus' eyes burned with fury and he smacked James' hand off Lily's.

"I'll lead you out of here." He said plainly and stood between James and Lily as James threw the Cloak onto the three of them. They walked on in silence turning around corners and finally reaching the door. Filch had still not returned. That was a bad sign. "Thanks for leaving us till here." Lily said in a small voice filled with disappointment.

"No, I'm returning to the dungeons. I'll leave you there." Severus said. Lily turned her head to face him. Severus smiled weakly before regaining his stone-faced composure. Lily looked a lot relieved and smiled back. James felt like his insides were still upside-down and he pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth-just in case.

"See you at Breakfast." Lily said as she bade Severus farewell.

"Levicorpus!" James yelled and Severus yelled as he felt himself being pulled up and turn upside down.

"What are you DOINg?!" Lily screamed, " Let him down!"

"You don't understand!" James said fiercely his wand pointing at Severus. The two boys' eyes met for a fraction of a second hatred purely brimming in both of them.

"He's right, Lily. Run, quick, I hear Filch." Severus managed to say.

"How will you get yourself down?" Lily asked.

"I'll manage it. Now go." He said. Lily nodded and got under the Cloak next to James. Then James began running upwards to the Seventh Floor where Remus and Sirius had decided to check for when Lily had mentioned the Room,of Requirement.

* * *

Sirius and Remus had set out on the search for the Room of Requirement and thankfully hadn't been seen by Filch or Mrs. Norris for a long time. In fact, the Seventh Floor was completely deserted and Remus owed it to the fact that Dumbledore's office was on the same floor. They had only just passed the gargoyle near the entrance of the office when a low rumbling of stone made them both jump into the shadows behind some walls. The stone gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a staircase and two men descended the stairs to reach the landing.

"I'll take care of it, Alastor." They heard Professor Dumbledore address the hefty shape behind him. The two men tensed and a gruff voice broke the silence.

"I'm afraid we aren't alone, Albus." Professor Moody said.

"I'm afraid so." Professor Dumbledore agreed. "Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, What are you doing out of bed so late?" He asked sternly.

Knowing there was no escape from this, the two boys walked out of their hiding places. "I..we..." Sirius began explaining. "Come up...I'm sure you have a worthy explanation." Professor Dumbledore looked at them through his glasses and signaled. The two boys followed Dumbledore up the stairs. "Alastor, you too." Dumbledore said and Professor Moody obliged climbing onto a stair before the gargoyle jumped back into its place and the stone staircase rumbled spiraling upwards to a black wooden door.

Professor Dumbledore opened the door and they walked into an exquisitely built room with portraits of previous Headmasters and Headmistresses hanging on the walls. There was a Pheonix perched upon a bird-ring cooing enchantingly as Dumbledore stroked him lovingly.

"Meet Fawkes, the Pheonix." He said.

Remus took a step toward the bird and gazed with twinkling eyes, "A Phoenix?!" Remus whispered.

Professor Dumbledore chuckled and moved away so that Remus could stroke the bird.

"What are those?" Sirius asked edging towards a bowl full of goodies.

"Oh, those are an assortment of sweets and sours. This is a lemon drop, have one." Dumbledore picked a bright yellow ball and popped it into his own mouth. Sirius took one and as soon as it entered his mouth, he scrunched up his face. "It's sour." Professor Dumbledore said in an amused tone.

Professor Moody coughed uncomfortably.

"Ah, have a seat." Dumbledore waved his hand and the two boys occupied the seats across the table behind which Professor Dumbledore seated himself in a high-backed chair.

"Now what were you two runts up to?" Professor Moody asked ferociously lowering his head to face the two.

Sirius saw the mad plastic eye and said. "Sir..your eye..."

"Yes, I lost it in Southern France where war has broken out, you see, and you students risking your lives like this will only make matters worse!" He shouted.

"Alastor..." Professor Dumbledore looked through his spectacles meaningfully at Professor Moody. Professor Moody nodded and quietened down.

"Remus, I expected better from you..." Professor Dumbledore said looking genuinely hurt. "I..Sir, we think someone's trying to bring Hogwarts down. After that the whole of wizarding world. " Remus cried desperately. Professor Dumbledore interlocked his long fingers and looked intently at Remus.

"Who else knows about this?" He asked.

"Albus?!" Professor Moody roared.

"It's us four- me, Remus, James and Peter..oh and Lily too." Sirius said ignoring Professor Moody's anger.

"Is that why you've been prowling out in the nights-the four of you?" Professor Dumbledore asked. Remus and Sirius looked too stumped to answer.

"It doesn't matter how I've learnt this fact...yes or no?" He continued. The two boys nodded silently not looking up at all.

"Well, I must assure you Hogwarts is not on the verge of its fall until its faithful Professors are here. You mustn't put your life in danger anymore." He ordered. "Alastor, go find the other two children- James and Lily, isn't it?" He told Professor Moody turning to them. They nodded and Sirius added. "They are near the dungeons...or a floor above or below it." Professor Moody nodded and exited the room.

"Sir, did Tom Riddle study at Hogwarts?" Remus spoke up. Professor Dumbledore looked surprised but nodded and said.

"As a matter of fact, he did. He was appointed Prefect in the fifth year and was a well mannered, hardworking student like any of you. Back then, nobody could've thought that he would be called the Dark Lord later on." His eyes had turned glassy and disappointment was showing in his voice.

"Remus, you mustn't go after this...cloaked man or his object." Professor Dumbledore said after a long silence. Sirius looked like his brain had been blasted out of his head but Remus only looked ashamed if anything.

"But Professor, the Knight entered the premises!" Sirius said recovering from his blank state of mind.

"I'm afraid it was my absence that triggered it." Professor Dumbledore stated. "If you prowl the corridors furthermore, I'm afraid your house will lose points and you will serve detentions." Professor Dumbledore proclaimed standing up.

"Given your friend's new position as Seeker, Mr. Black, I would assume you will take this seriously." Dumbledore turned to Sirius. The boy nodded.

At that moment, the door flung open and Professor Moody entered with James and Lily in front of him.

"Death Eaters..below the dungeons.." James huffed in between gasps for breath. Professor Dumbledore stood up and started toward the door.

At the same time, a man ran into a blank portrait next to the door. "They're escaping through a passageway next to my portrait near the dungeons. Quick. Seven Knights." He said and ran back out the portrait. The Professors disapparated from the place after Professor Dumbledore ordered the four of them to 'not move' from the Office. The door shut with a bang.

"What are we waiting here for?" Sirius said looking at the exhausted pair and at Remus.

"Well, you heard him! 'Don't move' mean something else for you?" Lily cut him crossly.

Sirius' face lit up and he removed the Communication Mirrors from his robes' inner pocket. He handed the other mirror to Remus and ran toward the door. "I'll be back in a jiffy." He said and shut the door behind him. The door opened again and Sirius peeped in. "James, what's the password?" "Uh..right..Lemon drops." "Thanks", he mumbled before closing the door again.

Remus immediately turned to Lily and James for an explanation.

"What happened?" He asked. In a mere two minutes, Lily related the whole incident with additions from James.

"He attacked Severus!" She burst out pointing at James.

"Well, Pardon me Missy, but he did it first!" James retaliated.

"I'm not doing all this, Remus, I don't even know why I did it in the first place!" She yelled madly.

"Hah" James laughed hotly, "It's not about you! There's a war going on here!"

"Well I don't wish to be part of it!"

"You can't possibly wish not to be part of it after witnessing that horrid sight!" James shouted towering over the small frame of the red-haired girl.

"I-" Lily began but was stopped by Remus.

"Enough! I thought teaming you both up might make you saner and you might co-operate but you two are just hell-bent on fighting with each other like dogs!" He yelled angrily. Everything fell silent. Both James and Lily fell silent. They had never seen the quiet boy shout like this before. He was always the calm one-the one who maintained order.

Remus sensed the same thing and the silence became more and more awkward by the minute. It was too late for him to say a few calm words but he was about to say something when the mirror in his hand started vibrating, emanating a warm white glow.

"Remus? James? Can you hear me?" Sirius' face appeared in the mirror.

"Yah..yah reception's clear here!" James yelled.

"Then, you certainly don't need to yell at him." Lily pushed James aside to see through the mirror. Sirius chuckled and crouched down against a wall holding the mirror in front of him.

He whispered "Now alert me if you see someone approaching 'kay?" and then he shifted the mirror toward the corridor at the far end of which stood Professor Slughorn, Professor Mcgonagall, Professor Sprout and Flitwick alongwith Professor Dumbledore and Moody. Professor Flitwick was muttering the countercurse to get Severus back down. In front of the dungeons' opening was a stone wall which was being forced open by Dumbledore and Moody. There was a flash of light and stones spewed out with clouds of dust.

"Bombarda! See?" James wiggled his eyebrows at Lily.

Professor Moody went into the passage first and Professor Dumbledore followed and the whole trail of Professors ran toward Sirius' end.

"Sirius! Incoming!" James whispered and Sirius pocketed the mirror and ducked behind a wall as a trail of Professors passed his spot.

"Filch, where does that passage go to?" Professor Mcgonagall's voice could be heard.

"Leaky Cauldron." Filch's raspy voice said.

"Alright, alert as many people as you can..."

"No use, Ma'am, all been sold out to the Dark Lord."

"Like you" Professor Mcgonagall said coldly, " We'll look into your matter later, as of now, make sure all the secret passages are guarded."

"Yes Ma'am" he said and Filch clobbered out.

"Black, you can come out now. Professor Dumbledore's ordered you and your friends to return to your dormitories immediately." She said sternly. Sirius came out and reluctantly said "Yes, Professor."

* * *

"What're you thinking about? We've to confess about all the students out there- we are probably the only eyewitnesses who weren't involved." Lily reasoned with James as they sat at the Breakfast Table.

"Hold it-uh- we?" James asked turning to face the girl. "I thought you wished not to be part of it.."

"And I still do. I just think the right thing needs to be done." She justified.

"You'll rat out Snivellus?" Sirius asked matter-of-factly. Lily fidgeted with her fork but didn't answer.

"See, there you go. Professor Dumbledore will see right through you." Remus said shaking his head. "And why do you think he has still kept the Slytherins in Hogwarts? He needs to keep an eye on them-especially now that they've been recruited into an army!" Remus continued.

"Yeah, trust me. Purebloods are taught everything beforehand. They don't need Hogwarts. And they'll be free as birds if they're expelled." Sirius added. "By the way, can I ask you why you're sitting with us?" He hunched over and looked Lily straight in her eyes.

"Oh..Amber was studying for the upcoming tests in Jan...and my second option being sitting with Molly, oh-" She stopped and pursed her lips. "She's gone back home by the Hogwarts Express?"

"What!" James exclaimed.

"We can all go back home?" Peter asked.

"From Dumbledore's words yesterday I thought it was all under control..." James continued.

"It is. Everything is under control. It's just...uh..Molly's parents were killed in the mass killings in Southern France."

Silence prevailed. All of them were quiet. This war was serious and people that were loved ones of anyone had already died. The five of them had to do whatever was in their power to help. Even if it meant getting expelled...

"Uh..Can I vote out of the prowling at night?" Lily said.

"Knew it!" James banged his fist in his open palm.

"You don't understand...Hogwarts is my only key to the magical world. " Lily pleaded earnestly.

"Uh..Peter..you in?" Remus asked.

"Oh..yes!" The boy's eyes shone when he realized he was going to be included.

Everyone ate their breakfast a little less cheerily than the day before. All the students seemed to have learnt about the upcoming war. The Daily Prophets had been delivered unchecked and the letters of worried parents kept coming in-owls from all the parts of the world. Remus looked at the staff table. Every Professor was talking about the war. Professor Mcgonagall's face looked sterner than he'd ever seen it as she talked to Madame Pomfrey somberly. Professor Flitwick was intently listening to Professor Slughorn's talk and so was Professor Sprout. Professor Sinistra looked out in the sky dreamily.

Professor Moody and his new eye had been much discussed by the students. If anything, it made him look scarier and more unapproachable. Remus was still confused about the Auror, why did Professor Moody defend Filch's case in front of Dumbledore last night, he had no idea. Yes, Remus had heard it before he had knocked on Professor Dumbledore's Office door at an early hour of the morning. This didn't exactly explain Professor Dumbledore's trust on this dense man. Remus would have to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Very sorry for the trouble, there's some problem with the next chapter getting uploaded. No worries, I'll fix it. Just changed the division of Chapter 5 because it was so big. I'm genuinely greatful for those who keep reading my work.**


	9. Chapter 9-Friendships-a castle of cards

Remus had only just closed his eyes when he was hearing sounds again. He was already half awake when Sirius started rocking him in his bed.

Back and Forth.

Side to Side.

Back and Forth again.

Not giving up.

"What?!" Remus scowled as he held Sirius' arm strongly to stop the horrible rocking.

"James has 6 o' clock Quidditch practice."

"So?"

"I'm going to watch, you wanna come?"

Remus gestured towards Peter's bed but Sirius added hastily "Peter's knocked out. I tried him. Are you coming or not?" Sirius said with a final note in his voice.

"Fine." Remus sighed and sat up.

The practice had begun half an hour ago. Yet on reaching the stands, the boys were surprised to find the early skies empty.

"James did say something about the captain being more hotched up on planning than on practice.." Sirius added coyly.

"Ah..and you woke me up for this..." Remus regretted his decision. "Oh, I'm gonna.." Remus began but Sirius couldn't learn what Remus' warning had been about because just then the Gryffindor team poured out onto the ground in full attire. A cold breeze passed them which chilled them to the bone. Both the boys pulled their robes tighter around their frames.

"So, you come here for every practice?" Remus asked.

"Not every practice. Some of them. The ones when James is going to use his own broom!" Sirius answered. The red and gold tiny people stood in a crowd as the captain gave commands until finally they broke up into halves and marched off into opposite directions. "Let's go sit there." Remus said pointing at the stands. He climbed up stair after stair and Sirius followed him. All the stairs were wet and puddles had formed in places where the students were meant to sit.

"Did it snow last night?" Remus asked.

"Not that I remember seeing.." Sirius said absent mindedly. "The grass doesn't have any trace." He noted. Yes, the grass was fresh and shining as ever..and there was no snow to be seen for miles.

'And the sun's not up..so how could it melt?' Remus thought.

"They're up!" Sirius exclaimed as they reached one of the top stands.

"Right." Remus mumbled as he removed his wand and dried a portion of the place for the two of them to sit. "See? There he is. Right in the center." Sirius pointed at the boy in the center. Remus looked up and narrowed his eyes but couldn't make out. Sirius handed him a pair of binoculars...which in fact were very familiar.

"This is Frank's!" Remus exclaimed.

"You mean Longbottom's ? Yeah, I borrowed it." Sirius replied casually.

"You _stole_ it?!" Remus asked.

"Can't you hear me? I said I _borrowed_ it. I'll return it to him...later." Sirius said.

Remus had a number of follow-up questions like 'How did you get them?' Or 'When are you going to _return_ them?' but he kept glaring at Sirius.

"Alright! Fine, I'll return it as soon as we reach Gryffindor Common Room. Now take a look!" Remus lowered his glare and saw through the binoculars.

" Is James in the center? I thought-" Remus mentioned while tracking it over the players in the center.

"Oh, James is hovering above them; I was talking about **Ludo Bagman**!" Sirius confessed sheepishly.

"Oh.." Remus teased the boy. "So you **are** queer!" He added.

"Bollocks! Ludo Bagman is a living legend of Quidditch in Hogwarts. Any student would see him as an idol.", Sirius said hotly.

"Fine..hahahah..Fine..I was just joking." Remus patted him on the back. A clear whistle rang out at that time and both the boys turned their attention to the ground. "They're starting the game." Sirius said. "But, why are they moving down?" Remus asked. "I don't know. Maybe something's up." Sirius said and stood up peering through the binoculars.

"Come on!" Remus pulled him by his robes. They ran over to where the Gryffindor team had gathered. Someone was lying on the ground groaning pitifully. Sirius ran ahead of Remus to the place and his knees buckled to make him kneel.

"How did this happen?", Sirius asked in a horrified voice.

"James..", Remus said standing as he was stock still in the midst of the team members. Madame Hooch was already by James' side.

"I've alerted Madame Pomfrey but she seems to be running late. Potter, can you walk?" She asked James.

"I'll try." He said hobbling as Sirius helped him sit up. Sirius glared at Remus who hadn't moved an inch.

"Right." Remus fumbled and caught James' other shoulder helping him up.

"So are you going to answer my question or not?" Sirius asked impatiently as he wrestled to keep his balance while holding James.

"Yes, How did you fall?" Remus asked.

"The broom. _My broom_ was tampered with." James cried between hobbles.

"Tampered with, what do you mean?" Sirius bellowed.

"Boys, keep your voices low." Madame Hooch, who was leading them, ordered hoarsely.

"Just like Frank's...I mean Longbottoms' broom." James gestured to Sirius.

"There you are! What in Merlin's name?!" Professor Mcgonagall arrived with Madame Pomfrey ahead of her with a floating bed. James was loaded onto the bed and Madame Pomfrey and Professor Mcgonagall led him to the hospital wing. Madame Hooch turned to the two boys.

"Run back to your dorms boys, Quidditch practice is off." She trotted towards the fields to inform the other students of the changes.

The rest of the day was, as usual, interesting but Sirius found out that his sense of humor really wasn't as good as James'. The students who usually laughed at James' jokes and jibes did look a little puffed out but the Professors were more than happy that the Prankster was missing. The whole day went without a trick or prank on the Slytherins and the Potions class was a little safer without the blasts. Remus skimmed through the day the way he usually did with Lily, paying only half his attention to the unimportant parts and double the attention to the classes.

He was one of the few students who gasped in Transfiguration when Professor Mcgonagall said that the non-living rule she had erstwhile mentioned was a lie. That day they spent most of their energy trying to transform mice into Snuffboxes. Surprisingly, none of them fared well according to Professor Mcgonagall and their homework for the day was retrying the spell instead of writing an essay. That sort of lifted Remus' spirits because he could read whichever book he wanted from the library that evening.

"The Hurling Spell. Once planted on a broom, it can go to any lengths to hurl the rider off the broom." Lily pushed a thick book under Remus' eyes. Remus focused at the part where Lily had pointed and looked up.

"It says here that anyone can use it. Any wizard or witch can tamper with the brooms." Remus said in a horrified daze. Lily nodded silently.

"Why would anyone even invent something like that?" Remus said irritably handing the thick book back.

"It's said it was invented as a joke, to amuse..." Lily added.

"Of course it's amusing if we use it on someone like Snivellus!" James punched his desk excitedly and laughed at the idea when Remus retold him and Sirius what he had learned in the library that evening. James had been discharged from the hospital wing just an hour after classes ended and he was far too happy he'd missed the day's classes to hear anything against Madame Pomfrey.

"Hahah! yeah, imagine him whispering 'Help' to his Slytherin buddies while he's being hurled off in every direction on his broom!" Sirius hollered hitting James on his back.

"Well, for once, his hair would be out of his face!" James added in the middle of gasps. The two of them entered another round of laughs trying hard to control the giddyness, finally gasping for breath heaving on the desks in the Common Room. Remus maintained his place and shook his head discerningly at their atrocious behaviour.

"Why do you fancy Snape, huh?" Sirius asked Remus suddenly. Remus mumbled inaudibly being caught off guard.

"I don't-Why do YOU hate him?" Remus demanded with a serious face.

"Well, for one-he's a snake!" James yelled pulling out a finger.

"Yes and he's with Lucius, Mulbery and that other first year... You know those people have chosen the wrong side..." Sirius added firmly.

"Yes and I caught the sneak waiting in line to be recruited in the Death Eater Army, didn't I? " James added angrily as though the point had already been made.

"Yes...but he didn't go back to be recruited-" Remus argued.

"That's only because we caught him! And I'm sure he would've run right back, had I not hung him midair!" James punched his desk and spewed ink across the desk as the ink bottle fell to the ground.

"James, er, cool down!" Sirius tried and attempted to slither his arm around the boy's shoulder but was slapped back. Sirius had watched James go mad at any matter related to the snakes-but he had never seen him fuming at a fellow Gryffindor before. He gazed questioningly at the boy. James stole his gaze away from,Sirius' grey ones. He didn't need to be calmed down this time.

James had always complied with Remus for Sirius' sake. Sirius had to learn that Remus was wrong. The boy was supporting those vile Slytherins and was friends with an equally idiotic girl who worshipped a Slytherin. Ever since that night when James had dropped Remus down the flight of stairs, he had felt guilty, almost sorry for the boy. He had even welcomed him heartily into their gang of Pranksters, shared their nights of prowling and even let Remus decide what to do. But what did Remus do? Boss them around like they were his slaves. Their plans on pranking never took flight because Remus thought it was 'unwise'...he never laughed at any joke they cracked. Rather, he rolled his eyes and commented sarcastically. He'd not been the friend that they had been.

What's much worse is that he brought Missy into the picture. He made James Henry Potter lurk right into a ceremony of Slytherins alongside Lily Evans and Severus Snape!

Remus watched James breathing really hard almost as if he was ready to brawl one-on-one with Remus. He felt a fire rage through himself maddeningly and his hand itched for his wand as images of James crying painfully filled his mind. He just wanted to hurt him-like he had hurt Remus. Of course, James wouldn't understand Severus. Noone probably would...except Remus.

He watched the black ink drip from his empty parchment on the desk to the floor forming a pool. Remus pushed the blank parchment off his table and it slid and fell into the pool of black getting drenched in it. He picked up his books and quills and hurtled through the mess toward the door. He glanced once at Lily's worried face before banging the door to the dorms shut behind him.

"What does he think of himself-ughh!" Remus flung his books onto his bed madly. He started walking up and down the dorm room furiously knocking over anything that was at arm's length from him. He pulled off his robes and loosened his shirt and trousers. He was completely hot with rage and felt like his mind would burst if he got into one more fight with James. There was something very unsettling about James that Remus couldn't quite figure out.

'It's all about him- isn't it?' A nasty voice croaked in his mind. 'James Potter thinks Slytherins are evil so each one of them is. And everyone thinks the same. Because he is James Potter!'

Remus flung a goblet of liquid at the fire in the hearth to put it out. In his fit, he failed to realize that it was Sirius' potion-the potion that had won Sirius some magical ink in a Potions class. The fire died out, anyway, giving out a fowl smell. Remus made his way to keep the goblet in its place when suddenly he flung it to the floor.

'Sirius is no better' the voice drawled on. 'He follows the jerk of a bully and pranks innocent people. He has no reason to hate Severus, but he still calls him names-defames him in public...the fool that he is!'

Remus felt weak all of a sudden. He had fought with Lily to be a part of the Pranksters. And only because Severus was ignoring her, was the girl still friends with him. As of now, he had thought Sirius was a good friend but that wouldn't be the case if James thought otherwise..

"Aaaghh!" Remus tore his shirt and it hung in tatters on his lanky frame. He fell heavily on his bed.

'They're all the same! Even Sirius!' The voice grew louder and Remus could hear his heart pumping louder, his blood gushing through his veins. He could even hear a soft rustle of robes at the door. He could sniff an air of pine and wet grass, mud and a particular scent of sweat...characteristic of...

Remus sat up on his elbow. His head was filled with sounds from other dorm rooms. Some even from outside the window...a scraping, rustling noise and a distant humming. He arched his head sidewards by instinct and listened. The rustle of robes, the chatter up and down in the dorm rooms and that persistent breath at the door. All his senses were on superblast.

"Of course!" Remus shouted over the voice in his head. "Of course!" He said and looked out the window to see the moon slyly hiding behind the clouds. He didn't need to look at the clock for the time. It was time to leave. He pulled out his bag from under his bed and plunged in his clothes.

"Remus." A voice sparked him alert.

"About time you came in..." Remus said tightly looking for something under his pillow.

"Where are you go-" Sirius began.

"My mother's ill. I need to go." Remus said it the way he had rote learned it.

"How do you know?" Sirius barred the doorway. Remus faltered for an answer and then shook his head madly 'Why do I have to answer him?'

"Because..I just know.." Remus replied and pushed past the strong boy. He rubbed his shoulder as he ran down the steps. He knew he would be barging into the Common Room where James, Peter and maybe Lily, yes, three people awaited him, by the sound and smell of it. He entered the Common Room and pulled the door close. He was momentarily blinded by the light in the room...it was becoming harsher.

He held a hand above his eyes and squinted into the room. James was sitting in the desk writing on a parchment next to Gloria Walters. She was writing on her parchment intently until she heard James' quill stop. She looked up and saw him glaring at the mess of a boy who stood at the door to the boys' dorms. The boys exchanged angry glares but none said a word. The one who spoke first would be claimed weak, ready to apologize and give up his opinion. Peter, who was sitting behind James, stood up and asked meekly, "Remus, what happened?"

James glared at the boy to have spoken first. Peter looked down and promptly backed out. Remus, who had been about to answer the timid boy, held his breath and shook his head disappointingly. And with one swift movement, Remus had climbed out the portrait hole.

* * *

"You'd better eat up quickly...Remus?" Lily's voice awakened him. He looked around at the Great Hall. It was breakfast time already. Five minutes before classes, to be exact. Seeing Remus take in his surroundings so astonishingly, Lily placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Everything's fine. You were just...daydreaming, I suppose. " she explained.

"What day is it?" Remus asked her.

"Tuesday...are you alright, Remus? I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey, if you want. " Lily offered as she gulped down a bite of cinnamon pie. That would be the right thing to do, but Remus didn't want to let Madame Pomfrey worry his parents anymore.

"No.. Lily, when did I come back?" He asked.

"Yesterday, Remus, are you sure.." Lily looked at him with a concerned look.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just gonna need your notes for the tests." He said and stood up.

"We've got DADA. " Lily added and stood up.

"When's the last time Moody taught us properly?" Remus asked.

"Don't worry, even I don't remember that!" Lily smiled and joined the boy as they walked up the stairs.

"Hey, Mulciber check your laces!" James snorted as he waved his wand and the boy tripped and fell heavily on the ground.

"You too, Avery." Sirius snared. The other boy bent down to untie his laces and as he did so...he heard a nice clean tear in his pants.

"You should ask mum for a bigger size now, shouldn't you?" James jeered at the boy. The whole class gestured, giggled and laughed. Sirius joined James in the laugh that only ended when they looked away from each other.

"Mum? No, James, it's Ma'am." Sirius said and doubled over with laughter. But nobody joined Sirius in his maniacal jest, not even James. The Slytherins were silently emanating pure hatred at Sirius' remark but the Gryffindors hardly understood. Sirius began to explain but one look at Remus' face stopped him in his tracks.

"Alright, settle down, you little turds." Professor Moody entered the classroom and closed the doors. Everyone shifted to their places slowly. The DADA Professor clunked towards the chair and desk and placed himself in it, keeping his wooden leg firmly on the ground. He looked up at the first years and removed his wand from his coat pocket.

"Now. What all have I covered with you?" He asked. The students leafed through the parchments and collectively answered in a great mixed chorus.

"Wait. Wait. You. Tell me." Professor Moody pointed his wand at James, who stood up immediately.

"You've told us about Doxys and garden gnomes, but you haven't showed them to us yet or taught us yet how to overcome them.." James stated in a very plain voice not quite befitting him.

"Right, and where are we, in case of the spells?" Professor Moody asked, this time pointing towards a girl in Slytherin.

"Nothing." The girl said timidly as she tried to avoid the madly revolving eye in the Professor's face.

"Nothing? Alright. Now, tell me what are some of the most important skills required in a wizard's duel?" He pointed it to Severus.

"Knowing what you're up against, with all due respect Sir, to know how to defend against the dark arts, we must learn about the dark arts." He said and James' muscles tightened with fury as he noticed a unanimous nod from the Slytherins. Professor Moody looked surprised and sat up and kept his wand focused on Severus as he asked the next question.

"Name or give a hint about some of the most dangerous spells or curses in the Dark Arts."

"Inarguably, the three Unforgivable Curses- to kill, to hurt and to control."

"What's your name, lad?" The Professor asked.

"Severus Snape." He replied.

"Snape?" Professor Moody asked himself more than Severus.

"Right, sit down. As we've learned, the three Unforgivable curses donot seem to have any counter curses as yet, though, attempts have already been made. The first one is to kill, a flash of green is enough to kill the victim. The second, to hurt, or to cause pain physically..." He stood up and drew his wand up ready for attack.

"or mentally." He completed and yelled 'Crucio' aiming at Peter's desk.

Peter stood up and flung his desk ahead crying madly. A strange black bug-like creature much the size of their thumbs flew out Peter's desk and cried in a painful way fluttering helplessly toward the Professor. Realizing that he hadn't been the victim, Peter ran to stand behind James, who, like most of the students had stood up. He whimpered uncontrollably as Professor Moody caught the Doxy in a cage-which was set in a pile of other empty cages among the trunks and cases that filled the room other than the shelves that carried goblets, flasks and tubes of different shapes and sizes filled with specimens. Alastor Moody picked the cage which shuddered and crinked with every attempt of the venomous creature. He held it up for all the students to see.

"So THIS is a Doxy."

* * *

"He's the best-I repeat-the best, so far!" James cried.

"His words go right into my head." James pointed at his forehead.

"Yes-hm." Peter nodded while trying to keep his head low.

"He's an Auror..." Sirius said dreamily. "Just like Remus' father." He added.

"Remus' father is an Auror?" James stopped suddenly.

"Huh? What did y-I don't know what you're talking about. " Sirius fumbled. "but I want to be an Auror."

"Wait, Sirius, you **WaNt** to be an Auror?" James asked crazily.

"Yeah...Yeah! dreamt about it ever since I heard about it." Sirius grinned. "Don't you?" Sirius asked doubtfully.

"Of course I do! It's just...I thought you'd have some traits of the Black family in you-but you're safe, mate." James said and let out a low laugh.

Sirius didn't know how to respond to it. Even though it was just one of James' jibes at him and Sirius hated his family and would never feel bad about talking bad behind their backs...there was just something wrong about this. But Sirius let it go; just like he did all the other times he felt like this.

* * *

Ever since the fight in Gryffindor Common Room nobody dared cross the paths of the two hot-blooded boys. Remus didn't sit with the Pranksters anymore, just like old times, he sat instead with Lily and Molly. Sirius always blurted a quick "Good morning" or "Sleep tight" whenever he found Remus alone in the dorm room but since Sirius and James were partners in crime...James never really left Sirius alone, unless he was out on Quidditch business. Sirius hated it that Remus woke up early and slept early to get washed up and avoid getting in contact with the Pranksters.

Of course, the freedom from rules was exhilarating. Sirius actually pranked Slytherins during lectures was never caught. The prowling hours were even more fun because now, unlike before, they were usually dedicated to finding secret passages, tampering with Slytherin washrooms' urinals and sometimes as a bonus, pranking Filch. The one who drove him maddest was awarded the highest points and could lay off his homework for a day or two burdening the rest with extra work.

Remus felt at peace as he watched the gang of Pranksters from his seat a safe distance away. He was actually thankful he had come out earlier. He'd never forgive himself for turning out like one of them. He was most disappointed with Sirius, who he had expected to be best friends with.

"Not all Slytherins are evil, you know." Molly awakened both Lily and Remus from their thoughts. Remus followed Lily's gaze and knew well before he reached the object of her thoughts, who it must be.

"I wish others thought that.." Lily said sourly poking her dumpling a little more than required.

"Is he your friend? The one you mentioned that night..." Molly leaned closer to Lily and whispered. Remus started gobbling up his food concentrating strongly on the taste of the food or memorizing the tips Professor Flitwick had given for lighting a wand fire.

Lily glanced suspiciously in his direction and Remus busied himself in removing the thorns out of his fish.

She nodded soundlessly.

"I'll tell you something I haven't told anyone. Arthur and me, we've been best friends since the first year-fought a little earlier, but-finally came around in the second or third year. The thing is, if he really wants to be your friend despite all those bullies calling him names, he will come around. It'll take time, though, more for him than Arthur 'cause luckily Arthur wasn't in another house. So you just stay put there and enjoy yourselves a little for the while. Make other friends, don't give up on him..but don't keep waiting for him all the time. I just don't like to see you so miserable, Lily, eat up!" Molly looked at her fondly.

Lily smiled and nodded.

"I don't like to see you miserable either Molly." She said.

"Tell you what- why don't you and Remus join me in the dorm room after dinner? I'll feed you one of my specialties." Molly's eyes glinted cheerfully after a very long time.

"Sure. Will you come, Remus?" Lily turned to Remus.

"Huh? O-okay" he nodded.

"Splendid! And you can eat that fish now, Remus, It's all out of it's scales..." Molly patted him on his back.

Remus looked up at Molly and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah...eavesdropper." Lily smacked his head.

They laughed loudly and clearly at Remus' discomfort. Molly couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed like this ever since the night she'd learned...

Nevertheless, tougher times were yet to come and if they had to fight it with full zest, so be it. This time, right now, that they could spend with close friends, was a gift and had to be cherished with that sentiment.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thankyou Son of Whitebeard, reader and guest for your reviews. This chapter is also a short one but it's leading on and I really wanted to do a Moody lecture instead of a Flitwick one. Vulnerability of friendships is what I wanted to show...a peek into James' mind instead of Remus' mind because he's the most misunderstood character from the Marauders. A few things are missing cause I kept writing, rewriting, deleting etc. because I wanted the feel of the story to be correct after that heavy night tidings. Anyway keep reading. And writing. Goodbye.**


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